Nellie Annie (Lukey) Long

The family of Mrs. Nellie Long wife of the late Russell Long of Preeceville,  sadly announce her passing on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. She was 98 years of age.

A visitation for family and friends will be held on Sunday from 7 to 9 p.m. from the Chapel of Preeceville Funeral Home.

Relatives and friends are invited to the Funeral Mass which will be celebrated on Monday at 11:00 am from St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Sturgis.

Current Public Health guidelines and physical distancing will practised.

Relatives and friend wishing to support the family can also view a livestream of the funeral by clicking on the link below.

The interment will follow in the Preeceville Community Cemetery.

Memorial donations in memory of Nellie Long may be made to Preeceville Home Care or to St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church as gifts of remembrance.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Preeceville Funeral Home.

     Nellie Anne (Lukey) Long was born on March 6, 1922 in Canora, Saskatchewan to Peter and Hannah (Eugenia) Lukey.  Nellie was the youngest of 8, having 1 sister and 6 brothers. Nellie's parents had immigrated from Ukraine separately, met in Winnipeg, married and headed west to homestead near Norquay.

   Nellie received her education at Westerlund and Norquay Schools.  At 10 years of age Nellie was at home sick for a week when the doctor decided she must be sent to the hospital 30 miles away in Canora.  They made a bed in the sleigh and travelled by team and sleigh to hospital where she had her ruptured appendix removed the following morning. After completing her grade 11, the highest grade available in Norquay, Nellie helped on the family farm.

In 1942 Nellie got a job with the bank of Toronto, later the Toronto Dominion Bank.  In 1952she came back home to care for her father when her mother passed away.  Her father passed away in 1953.  She went back to the T.D. Bank until 1960, working in various branches in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and British Columbia.  

   Nellie met Russell Long during W.W.II and on September 6, 1957 they married in Preeceville. In 1960 their first daughter, Susan, was born, and in 1962 their second daughter, Shirley. Nellie stayed at home with the children then.  From 1967 to 1972 Nellie was Secretary Treasurer for the Preeceville Rural Telephone Co.  Meetings were held at her house once a month, and on those evening Russell and the girls were told to stay in their rooms and be quiet! 

In 1972 Nellie started working at Formo Motors Ltd. in Preeceville as the accountant bookkeeper.  In 1986 she retired from Formo Motors.

   Nellie loved gardening, knitting, and spending as much time as possible with the grand children. She was also an avid curler.  Many winters were spent in rinks attending bonspiels and socializing! Another love was Bingo.  She often attended locally and loved Kinsmen Radio Bingo on Saturday nights.  Her luck was frequent!  She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi in Preeceville, a fellowship centered on positive lifestyles. Nellie was a Founding Member of the Preeceville and District Heritage Museum and received an Honorary Lifetime Membership in 2014.  Nellie and Russell were also members of Club 60 in Preeceville and it was there Nellie enjoyed carpet bowling. Her most noted involvement was in the CWL which she became a member of in 1957. It was just over the last couple of years that it became too difficult for her to attend. But her faith grew even stronger. She also sang for years in the St. Patrick Church choir.

   Nellie loved going downtown each day for coffee to socialize, a practice she started with Russell.  She loved fall suppers, Christmas concerts, and carol festivals.  But the time when you really saw her face light up was then the grand children and great grandchildren came over. They were her world.

   Nellie was predeceased by her parents in 1952 and 1953, her husband Russell in 2005, and all her siblings. She leaves to mourn daughter Susan (Jim), daughter Shirley (Dervin), 3 grand daughters Alishia, Carmilla (Matt), and Jerrica (Andrew), 6 Great Grandchildren Reagen, Tanesha, Quilana, Torsten, Sadie, and Emeric, 2 sisters-in-law Anne Lukey and Margaret Lukey, and numerous nieces and nephews.