<div>Dear Friends and Family,
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<div>Our beloved father, John (Eddie) Long Sr., passed away peacefully on May 16, 2026.
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<div>During the Vietnam War, he enlisted and served honorably on the USS William M. Wood (DD 715), the same as his two older brothers before him.
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<div>His time in the Navy was always important to him, and he held all veterans in high esteem. We discovered the Veterans Memorial Reef organization, which honors veterans by interring their remains in a special capsule that is lowered into the sea to create an artificial reef off the coast of North Carolina. The reef is located five miles off the coast of Carolina Beach, supporting marine life and protecting the coastline. We believe this is the perfect place to lay him to rest, and we want to give anyone who would like to be a part of this the chance to contribute to this fund in lieu of flowers. Below is a link to the website for more information.
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<div><a href="https://veteransmemorialreef.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://veteransmemorialreef.net/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://veteransmemorialreef.net/</a></a>
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<div>They perform a three-day ceremony each year on Armed Forces Weekend, with their latest ceremony completing on May 18, 2026. Our father will be part of the May 2027 ceremony. To cover this wonderful service, they ask for a donation of $5000. This amount is not a problem for us, but we want to offer the opportunity to know that your money went to a such a beautiful and lasting cause. Any amount in excess of the goal will go to our mother, Shirley Long, his loving wife, to help cover any other expenses.
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<div>As we get closer to the ceremony next year, more detailed information will be available. You can follow them on Facebook or Instagram via the links at the bottom of their website.
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<div>We thank you all for being such a wonderful part of his and our lives.
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