Joseph H. Long, longtime Maxwelton Valley farmer, died peacefully in his home Feb. 21, 2005, after a brief illness. He was born in Roy, Mont., Oct. 8, 1920, moving to the island with his mother, Nancy Long in 1926. Shortly thereafter she married Claus Brower and established a home on what now is Ewing Road. Joe and his brothers went to school at the Intervale School and then to Langley High School. Joe graduated in 1936.

Joe’s passion was farming. He and his brother Paul started Long Brothers Poultry Farm in the late 1940s. That partnership continued until 1967 when Paul moved to Minnesota and Joe continued with the farm. The ranch expanded to house 130,000 layers during the peak production years with 125 Angus roaming the fields. His son Leland worked side-by-side with him from birth to the present, with his son-in-law Larry Godsey also working on the ranch for a number of years. Joe found great pleasure in his family and having them all live in the same valley meant a lot to him.

Joe served in the Navy during World War II, as a radio repair man and technician on Attu in the Aleutian Islands. He served for the duration and six months coming home to marry longtime family friend Leda Pontius in 1947. He built his own home on Ewing Road.

He also served several terms as fire commissioner for Fire District 3 and sat on the board of Western Farms Association for a number of years. As a member of the Maxwelton Community Club he provided eggs for the infamous 4th of July egg toss for many, many years.

He was preceded in death by his brothers Lloyd in 1938 and Paul in 1988; and his parents.

He is survived by his wife Leda at the family home; son Leland (Berta); daughter Leanne (Larry) Godsey; grandchildren Robert (Ronni) Long, Loren (Stephani) Long and Nancy Godsey all of Clinton, Emily (James) Campbell of Phelan, Calif., Linda (Curtis) Kincaid of Everett, and Lawrence “LJ” presently serving a mission for his church in Leeds, England; six great-grandchildren, Ryan and Reed of Clinton, Kristin, Peter, Stuart, Claire of Phelan, Calif. He also has been proud of a long and good relationship with his nephews David (Lin) Long, Jim Long and niece Valarece (Jeff) Claypool, all of the greater Bemidji, Minn., area.