Obituaries

Jeoffrey Keith Long, 84, of Lakeside Park, Kentucky, passed away peacefully on September 25, 2026, at Emerald Trace, surrounded by his loving family.

Jeoff, as he was affectionately known, was born on October 9, 1941, in Covington, Kentucky, to the late Chester Sr. and Pauline Long. The oldest brother of ten, Jeoff grew up understanding the importance of family, and throughout his life, his family remained at the very center of his world.

Jeoff had a wonderful sense of humor, an easygoing personality, and a genuine kindness that made people feel comfortable around him. He was humble and never needed to be the center of attention. In fact, he would much rather hear someone else’s story than tell his own. He was an exceptional listener, asking questions and remembering the little things about the people he cared about. He was invested in his people, and that came naturally to him.

Baseball was Jeoff’s passion from an early age. He dreamed of playing professionally and saw that dream come true in 1959 when he began his professional career in the St. Louis Cardinal minor league system (the Winnipeg Goldeyes, Keokuk Cardinals, Winston-Salem Redbirds, and Tulsa Drillers) before being called up to the major league. He was later traded to the Chicago White Sox. Unfortunately, a knee injury ultimately ended his playing career, but it never ended his love for the game. Jeoff remained deeply involved with the Cardinals organization and possessed an extraordinary memory for baseball history. He could talk for hours about players like Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Stan Musial, Harry Fanok, Ted Simmons, Pete Rose and Tim McCarver.

Baseball was also something he loved sharing with his younger brothers and sisters. He taught them the game, shared his knowledge, and made each of them feel special. Although being the big brother to nine siblings came with plenty of responsibility, Jeoff had a way of making each member of his family feel important.

After baseball, Jeoff devoted his professional life to the family business, Cincinnati Drum Service Incorporated and Long Brothers Bag Company. He began as a foreman and, following the passing of his father, Chester, became co-president and owner. He took great pride in the family business and the people who helped make it successful.

In 1972, Jeoff met the love of his life, Kathy, while he was golfing and she was waitressing at Boone Aire. They were married on June 28, 1975, and spent the next 51 years together as husband and wife, best friends, and constant companions. They built their life together in the same Lakeside Park home for 49 years, where they welcomed family and friends and hosted countless gatherings and parties.

Their daughter, Lindsay Pauline, was born in 1980. Jeoff’s girls—Kathy and Lindsay—were always his priority. As a husband and father, he was selfless. If his girls were okay, Jeoff was okay. He wanted their needs to come before his own and took tremendous pride in the lives they built together. Jeoff and Kathy attended Erlanger Baptist Church faithfully each Sunday with Lindsay, and it was there that Lindsay was baptized. Jeoff was a lifelong member of the church.

Jeoff loved golf almost as much as he loved baseball. If he had time to himself, there was a good chance he could be found on a golf course. Boone Aire Golf Club and Traditions were favorite places for him to play. His competitive nature came out on the course, and he was often harder on himself than anyone else could ever be. His talent was undeniable. In 1975, he won the Professional Golfers Association National Open Long Drive competition with a drive of 322 yards, and in 1976, he finished runner-up after driving 332 yards.

Jeoff also knew how to enjoy the simple things in life. He loved country music, especially Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson. He enjoyed good food—pizza, hamburgers, gravy and biscuits, a good steak, Dixie Chili, Skyline, White Castle, Papa Dino’s, doughnuts, and chocolate milk. He appreciated a nice car and proudly owned a 1959 and a 1976 Corvette.

Travel was another source of wonderful memories for Jeoff and his family. He and Kathy frequently traveled to their family condo in Fort Lauderdale and traveled throughout the country to support Lindsay at her national diving competitions. They even traveled to Australia for a diving championship, along with trips to Washington, D.C., Gatlinburg, and many other places.

Above all, Jeoff loved his family. He loved his parents, his brothers and sisters, Kathy’s family, his daughter, and his many nieces and nephews. With 61 nieces and nephews, there was never a shortage of people to love, stories to tell, or memories to make.

Jeoff was a man who lived with humility, generosity, loyalty, and an enormous love for his family. He never needed recognition, though his accomplishments earned plenty of it. He was inducted into both the Northern Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and the Lloyd Memorial High School Athletic Hall of Fame. His greatest legacy, however, will not be found on a baseball field, golf course, or in a business. It will be found in the people he loved and the way he made them feel.

Jeoff and Kathy were, in every sense, soulmates. Through his final years, as his health declined, Kathy remained faithfully by his side through hospital stays, rehabilitation, and countless doctors’ visits. Their love and devotion to one another never wavered.

Jeoffrey is survived by his beloved wife, Kathy Martin Long; his daughter, Lindsay Pauline Long; brothers, Jonathan K. (Paula) Long, Chester “Cal” (Debbie) Long II, and Bradford K. Long; sisters, Rebecca D. Long, Pamela L. Merritt, Kathleen L. (David “Ace”) Hobbs, Laura L. (Pat) Muldoon, and Leslie C. (Mark) Donohoe; and his 61 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Chester Sr. and Pauline Long; brother, Greg Long Sr.; niece, Bridget Long; and nephew, Gregory K. Long Jr.

Visitation will be held on Monday, October 5, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at Erlanger Baptist Church, 116 Commonwealth Avenue, Erlanger, KY 41018. A funeral service will immediately follow at 12:00 p.m. at the church. Jeoff will be laid to rest at Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116-7023, or Erlanger Baptist Church, 116 Commonwealth Avenue, Erlanger, KY 41018.

To share a story or leave an online condolence, please visit www.linnemannfuneralhomes.com.