John Delong

John Alvan DeLong
John Alvan DeLong (87) of Independence Missouri passed from this life on April 14, 2023. John was born to Bert Alexander and Cynthia Logeman DeLong on March 12, 1936. John was the fourth of five children and grew up on the family farm in Andover, Missouri, in the days of the Great Depression and World War II. He frequently recalled that the family didn’t have electricity until he was 14 and they never had indoor plumbing but relied on the well for their water.

Childhood was spent attending school in a one-room schoolhouse and working long hours on the farm. Church and the gospel of Jesus Christ were the centers of life in the DeLong home, particularly because his father Bert was Presiding Elder at the Andover Congregation of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for many years. His leisure time was spent hunting and fishing with his younger brother Jerry. Even in later life, John loved to go fishing and hunting and reunited with his brother for special trips back to the family farm.

John attended high school in Lamoni, Iowa, and at North Harrison High School in Eagleville, Missouri, where he graduated in 1954. In 1952, John began dating Moyne Annette Schofield and from that time on, they were together. After high school, John joined the Marine Corps and spent two years in the service of his country in the days immediately following the Korean War. He spent a great deal of time in Japan while in the service and had many interesting stories to share about the Japanese people and culture.

John and Moyne were married on June 6, 1958, in Lamoni Iowa where they both attended Graceland College and then moved to Columbia, Missouri, where he graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in business. He loved sales and became a lifelong salesman and sales manager, beginning in Kansas City at the William Volker Company.

His sales career required that he move to various areas of the country. The DeLongs moved to Denver, Colorado, where their son Scott was born, and then to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where their daughter Julie was born. Other relocations included Concord, California, Berlin, New Jersey, and Woodridge, Illinois. Longing for home and family, the DeLongs returned to the Midwest, settling in Independence, Missouri, in 1977.

He was preceded in death by his brother Bert A. DeLong Jr. of Independence, Missouri, sister Rose Ellen Stine of Independence, Missouri, and sister Kathryn Joan White of Davenport, Iowa. He is survived by Moyne DeLong, his wife of 64 years, his son Scott DeLong of Independence, his daughter Julie (Tracy Christopher) Kurth of Scottsdale, Arizona, his grandsons Andrew DeLong of Independence, David Kurth and Adam Kurth of Scottsdale, Arizona, one great-grandson Grayson DeLong of Independence, his brother Gerard (Gail) DeLong of King City, Oregon, and 11 nieces and nephews.

A devoted family man, John taught his children the value of hard work and unconditional love. He will be greatly missed.