Donald Delong

Don DeLong died Friday, December 24, 2021.  Don was born May 6, 1930 in Emporia, Kansas to Earl and Josephine Pearson-DeLong.  Don died at his home, where he was raised. He attended school at Plumb Creek and graduated from Emporia High School in 1948.  Don was involved in Future Farmers of America, and he was a Chapter Farmer and a State Farmer in April of 1948.

Don was a farmer and stockman.  He was a member of Farm Bureau and National Farmer’s Organization.  Don took good care of the grassland.  He, along with his brother Joe, was among the first to double stock cattle in the Kansas Flint Hills starting in the spring of 1970.  Don employed conservation tillage until he switched to no-till in the early 1990’s.  He did most of his own conservation work building terraces and waterways.  Don constructed many farm ponds.  He was awarded the Kansas Bankers Award for Soil Conservation in 2004.

February 12, 1957, Don married the love of his life, Mary Lou Verlin at the First Methodist Church in Emporia, Kansas. They were married for 64 years. Mary Lou, of the home, survives. They were the parents of four sons:  Dean (Nanette), David (Julie), Dale (Bobbi), and Darryl (Brelana).  They also had nine grandchildren: Dalton (Anna), Reid (Courtney), Dylan, Devin, Haley, Macey, Alexandria DeLong-Medenciy (Alex), Payton, Sydney, and one great-grandchild, Everett DeLong.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Josephine DeLong, brother Joseph DeLong, sister Elizabeth DeLong-Stewart, and niece Sandra Stewart-Shelton.

Cremation is planned with services 10:00 a.m., Thursday, December 30, 2021 at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home.  Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. until service time.  A private burial will be at a later date at Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Emporia.  Memorial donations can be made to Future Farmers of America or Hand in Hand Hospice in care of Roberts Blue Barnett Funeral Home, P.O. Box 175, Emporia, Kansas 66801.