LeRoy Joseph DeLong

LeRoy Joseph DeLong, age 90, of Bloomington, passed away in the early morning hours of August 21, 2023 in Nashville, Indiana. He was born on January 15, 1933 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to the late Lester Marlin DeLong and Myra Gorrell DeLong. LeRoy graduated high school in 1951 in St. Joe, Indiana, departing midyear to begin his studies at Taylor University where he attained a Bachelor's Degree in 1954. An ambitious Indiana farm boy, to pay for his education he drove a cement truck in the summers and even volunteered to work overtime painting a radio tower hundreds of feet tall. After graduating from Taylor University, LeRoy became a Methodist minister for many years with assignments in numerous Indiana communities - first Fairmount followed by several others. In Somerset he served as a community leader in relocating the entire town to make way for Mississinewa Reservoir. During his years in the ministry, he also attended Butler University and earned a Master's Degree in Divinity. Over the years he performed numerous life event ceremonies for community members as well, presiding over weddings, funerals, and baptisms. Following his departure from the ministry LeRoy became a Chamber of Commerce executive in Deerfield Beach, FL and later transitioned with family members into property management and maintenance, eventually heading up his sole proprietorship company. Not one to sit still, LeRoy never exactly “retired” in the traditional sense of the word: After his many years of hard work, he continued to teach kids about horseback riding and lead trail rides, help out whenever repair work was needed for a home or vehicle, and work with his son John at Indiana University as a stagehand well into his golden years. He was a proud member of IATSE Local 618. LeRoy was preceded in death by his sisters Sharon and Betty Louise (in infancy), sister-in-law Marilyn, and a granddaughter, Victoria Joyce (Tori). He is survived by his brothers Loren DeLong, Tom DeLong and wife, Holly, sister Nelda DeLong Sonday and husband, Ross, former spouse Joyce Dahlquist and their sons John DeLong and wife, Beckie, and Joseph DeLong, and his grandchildren: Amanda, Beth, Dustin, Laci, Tyler, Antora, and Olivia. LeRoy will also be remembered by numerous extended family members as well as the “adopted” kids and grandkids he babysat, taught how to ride a horse, showed how to play a hand of euchre, and gave free life advice to. A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 12:00PM Noon at Allen Funeral Home and Crematory 4155 South Old State Road 37 in Bloomington. Visitation will also be held Wednesday, August 30, 2023 from 11:00AM until the time of the service at 12:00PM Noon also at the Allen Funeral Home and Crematory. In lieu of flowers please direct any Memorial gifts to: The Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home https://iumch.org Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with family and friends at www.allencares.com

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LeRoy Joseph DeLong

January 15, 1933 - August 21, 2023