Lonnie Burl Long

October 31, 1941 - February 7, 2021

Lonnie “Burl” Long, 79, of Laurel, Mississippi died peacefully in his sleep Sunday February 7, 2021, at his lifelong home in Shady Grove. He is preceded in death by his father Lonnie M. Long, his mother Willma Sykes Long, a sister Thelma Grace Gardner, two brothers-in-law Lester Gardner and Winston Lyons, and lifelong best friends Alvin and Judy Jones, and their son Monk Farrior. Burl is survived by a son William Richard Long, daughter Angela Long Cheney, granddaughter Brittni Cheney Sosa, grandson Austin Baylie Cheney, and great-granddaughter Charlie Marie Sosa. He is also survived by a loving sister Betty Ann Lyons, two nieces Jenny Meeks (Jimmy) and Becky Humphrey (Joe), two nephews Stan Lyons (Toy) and Mark Lyons (Amanda), a host of great nieces and nephews, and lots of great great nieces and nephews. After proudly serving his great country by enlisting in the United States Army, he moved to Victoria, Texas where he started his career in the oilfield industry with Delta Drilling Company later to become Chesapeake. After retirement Burl moved back to his home town of Laurel where he could enjoy his love of fast cars. He enjoyed rebuilding cars almost as much as he did racing them. Almost every evening you could find him watching a NASCAR race, a program about the last NASCAR race, or Jeopardy where he knew 95% of the questions. Visitation will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday February 11, 2021, at Memory Chapel Funeral Home in North Laurel followed by a graveside service at 11:00 a.m. at Welborn Cemetery in Shady Grove. Pallbearers will be Stan Lyons, Mark Lyons, Tyler Moore, Mason Lyons, Slay Lyons, Byron Byrd and Michael Paul Dennis. To sign the online guest book, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.