Mr. Bunyon A. Long

Obituary For Mr. Bunyon A. Long

DEACON EMERITUS BUNYON A. LONG, better known as “Slick Daddy,” was born May 10, 1929, in Marianna, Florida, to the late Brother William H. Long, Sr., and the late Sister Wilma Sansome Long.

He was an only child to his mother and spent his early years being reared by his grandmother, Ella Sansome and her husband, Sam.

At an early age he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and joined Bethlehem AME Church. He remained a faithful member until he joined the United States Army.

While at Bethlehem, he served as a Sunday School Superintendent and as a delegate to the AME State Sunday School Convention on numerous occasions.

Deacon Long attended Bethlehem Church School, St. John Church School, and the Gilmore Academy. Later he went to Florida A&M University, where he obtained his Bachelor degree.

After joining the army in 1948, he served at many bases before completing his first tour of duty. He re-enlisted to do a second tour.

After the onset of the Korean Conflict, being his mother’s only child, and with a terminally ill grandmother that raised him, he terminated his second tour early, receiving an Honorable Discharge.

After the death of his grandmother, Ella, Bunyon went to Ocean City, Maryland, and worked at a resort.

His work was so exemplary that decades later the owners praised and acknowledged his service. He went on to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he worked at a VA Hospital and from there to Dayton, Ohio, where he worked at a GM automobile plant.

Always a “rolling stone,” Bunyon left Ohio and moved to Los Angeles, California, where he once again worked at a VA Hospital and at another GM Plant.

He later returned to Marianna during the summer of 1958 driving a black Cadillac. He fully returned to the South in the 1960’s to work with his uncle, Johnny Sansome, doing roofing work and also at his uncle’s gas station.

During this period, he also worked at an automobile body repair shop in Panama City. Further, he did free-lance welding work for other auto repair shops in Jackson County, including the late Reverend William Harvey, who stated that Bunyon Long was the best welder he had ever seen. In his later years he worked for other black business owners, including Charles Vann and Elmore Bryant. Bunyon had a love for cars and working on them.

Lastly in 2011, with his health declining, Bunyon moved to the Blaine Estate, having been a longtime friend of the late Irene V. Blaine. While living there, he joined Prayer Temple and the entire church family welcomed and fell in love with him. His love of God and faithfulness led him to being asked and appointed as a Deacon of the church.

He continued in that role until he started counting numbers out loud during services and his health further failed him.

On Monday, June 9, at 8:20 p.m., Bunyon A. Long ended his earthly stay with us and entered to that place prepared for him by God. He will be dearly missed by all that knew and loved him.

In addition to his parents and grandparents, he was preceded in death by his aunts, Curlie, Thelma, and Ozella; uncle, Johnnie Sansome; great-aunts, Ozie, Bertha, and Johnnie; and half-sister, Juanita.

He leaves to cherish his memories a devoted goddaughter, Dr. Sharon McMillion; two half-brothers, William H. Long, Jr., of Charleston, South Carolina, and Ceasar Long (Angeline) of Marianna, Florida; two half-sisters, Zenobia Williams of Columbus, South Carolina, and Elease Barkley of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; honored first cousins, Joyce Mills (Lev) of Atlanta, Georgia, and Valoria Latson (John) of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida; other cousins, Alean Jackson-Brown, Althea Brown, both of Atlanta, Georgia, and Thelma Hicks of Banning, California; cherished cousin, Toney ‘Bish’ (Mable) Gilbert of Marianna, Florida; caregivers, Clarence (Mildred) Holden of Marianna, Florida; his final caregivers until his demise, Bishop John and Exhorter Sharon McMillion and the Prayer Temple Church Family of Marianna, Florida; and a host of other cousins, other relatives, and many sorrowing friends.

Homegoing services will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 10:00 am at the Bethlehem AME Church Cemetery located on Lovewood Road in Marianna, FL with Rev. Larry Brown, Minister Calvin Clemmons, Moderator Dwight Cockerham, Sr., and Bishop John McMillion officiating. Interment will follow in the cemetery under the direction of the caring staff of licensed professionals at Peoples Funeral Home of Marianna, FL.

Public viewing will be held on Friday, June 20, 2025 at Peoples Funeral Home Chapel from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm.

The body will lie in state at the cemetery from 9:30 am until funeral time.