Larry D. Long, Jr., age 44, of Frazer, MT passed away on April 5, 2017 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Larry was born on July 21, 1973 to Larry D. Long, Sr. and Roxy Long in Manhattan, Kansas.
In 1977 the small family moved back to Frazer, Montana. This is where LarLar would grow into a wonderful young man. Larry graduated from Frazer High School in 1993. During his school years he very well and was very athletic. He participated in basketball, track, football and played for the Wolf Point Yellow Jackets baseball team. During the summers and most weekends he and his sister spent time with Cliff and Ellen Long and special uncle Phillip Smoker, Sr. hunting and learning his Indian traditions which he always followed throughout his life.
He loved to rodeo and was always around to jump on a Wildhorse Racing team. He did it all; he was a mugger, rider and an anchor. He enjoyed rodeoing with his uncles, cousins and friends. His team was known to be the best/legends of Wild Horse Racing everywhere and to everyone. For which in return ended/started the famous Jackson, Inc team. He participated in sweats and sundances in his native culture with his grandpa Wilson Jackson and his special uncle Phillip Smoker, Sr. He enjoyed dancing at pow-wows, he danced traditional. He was known by the announcers as “Big Medicine”.
He always had a smile on his face and would try to tease and always managed to make you smile and laugh. He enjoyed rough housing with all his kids as he was a big kid at heart himself. He had a kind and generous manor to him and was always willing to help if asked. He was also very protective of his younger siblings.
Larry traveled all over. He would always say he had to because that was his name Traveling Elk. On his travels is where he met and fell in love with “his woman” Lynn. Lynn was the love of his life and they were almost always together after that first meeting. Larry had no children of his own but he was a great uncle to his sister’s children and later a wonderful grandpa to Josie’s and Justin’s kids and helped raise Lynn’s three boys along with a granddaughter Trinity.
Larry is preceded in death by his dad Larry Long, Sr. and paternal grandparents Clifford and Ellen Long and maternal grandparents Wilson and Josephine Jackson; step-father Walter MacDonald, Sr.; maternal uncles Maynard, Darrel, Sidney, Lonnie, John; maternal aunts Pearl, Merle, Farrel, Marilyn and his Indian dad Phillip Smoker, Sr.
Larry is survived by his mother Roxy MacDonald of Frazer; sisters Brandy Long of Frazer and Judith (Daniel) Harmon; step-mother Terri Long of Nashua, Travis (Starr) Long of Oswego and Patty (Norman) Sibley of Wiota; wife Lynn Long of Ronan; children Ryan, Hope, Evan, Robert and granddaughter raised as his own Nizhonia Haynes (Trinny Rose); nieces and nephews Josie (Auston), Jessie, Justin (Latoya) Walker, Jackson, Hallie, Travis, Roger, Norma, Wyatt, Adeline; grandchildren Daliyah, Tavien, Mallie, J-Lussya; aunts Sue (Henery), Shari (Joe), Bobbi, Rosalie; special cousin Camen Welch and cousins too numerous to mention; paternal aunts and uncles Janice (Dick) Fisher, Teray (Lura), Calvin (Pam), Wally and good friend Grant Stafne.
Larry was a large part of our lives and will be dearly missed and loved until we see him again. We have our brother watching over us all. So take a bit of peace in knowing Travis, Judith, Patti and Brandy, you are never alone.