Jon Stratton Long

Jon “Stratton” Long, born on February 16, 1937, returned to his Father in Heaven as he peacefully slept on April 21, 2018.  Stratton was born to Arlie Leon and Opal Lucille Hartsell Long in Appleton City Missouri, where he grew up with his sister, Ruth Ann Long.

Stratton was an industrious youth who enjoyed scouting and working at his chores with his Dad and maternal grandfather on the family's small farm.  He also enjoyed spending time with his friends, with whom he would at times be a bit mischievous.  He felt a keen responsibility for his sister, Ruth, who remembers, "He thought he was my father; not my brother."

He often spoke of learning many polite customs from his small community, whether it was from attending Church at the Appleton City Methodist Church, working at the local movie theatre, or playing basketball on the Appleton City High School Championship Team.  Strat received his undergraduate degree from Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri, in 1959.  He did his graduate work at Rolla School of Mines (University of Missouri at Rolla) where he received his Master’s Degree in Mathematics and Physics.

Stratton began his professional life as a math and science teacher at Conway High School in 1960.  He was surprised, during the first class he taught, to find his students all placing their notebooks on their desks with their pencils poised ready to take notes!  He was a very professional teacher; dressing the part and acting the part.

During his second year of teaching, Strat discovered the school had hired a young music teacher by the name of Patricia Rosson.  Neither Conway nor the High School was very big, but he still played hard to get.  Late in the fall, young Patricia cornered Stratton and he asked her on a date to see the movie, "Ben Hur", in Springfield Missouri.  Patty remembers this because as she was leaving during intermission to call her mother, she lost her balance and fell into the lap of a strange man sitting in the row!  Despite this, the relationship grew and they were married in Everton Missouri on August the 5th 1961

Their two boys came along in 1966 and 1967 and then life took them to Cape Girardeau.  In 1981 the family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Stratton retired in 1991.  He then strongly encouraged his wife to retire and apply for an audition with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  In 1992 their dream was realized, and they moved to Salt Lake City to enable Patty to sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  They then settled in the city of Saint Charles, Missouri where they enjoyed many rich and fulfilling friendships in their community and Church until December of 2017 when they moved to South Jordan, UT to be near their family.

Stratton enjoyed many callings during his almost forty-years of service in the LDS Church, including Bishop, Counselor in the Cape Girardeau Stake Presidency, serving with

Patricia as Counselor and Assistant Matron in the St. Louis Temple Presidency and, finally, as Patriarch of the St. Louis North Stake.

Stratton is survived by his wife Patrica, Jon "Darin" Long and wife Michele Oldroyd Long, and four grandchildren, Mark "Rosson" Long, Reed "Sterling" Long, Sarah Grace Long, and Anna Evelynn Long, all students at BYU in Provo, UT, his daughter-in-law Erin Melinda Long, his sister, Ruth Ann Long Strobach, her husband William F. Strobach, one nephew, Michael G. Strobach andwife Heather McNeal Strobach and their children, Steven M. Strobach, Blake A. Strobach and Abigail Nicole Strobach.  Stratton was preceded in death by his parents and his younger son, James "Mark" Long.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.    This was the illness that took Mark at such a young age. Any donation is tax deductible and goes to help cure this terrible disease.

Flowers for the funeral may be sent to:  Baue Funeral & Memorial Center, 3950 West Clay St., St. Charles, MO 63301 or to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 2245 Old Hwy 94, St. Charles, Missouri 63303.