A Celebration of Life Service for Joan Long, age 70 of O'Neill, NE will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill, with a visitation one hour before the service. Inurnment will follow in the O'Neill Cemetery. Joan passed away on Friday, September 1, 2023. Arrangements are entrusted to Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill.

Joan Mary Long was born on August 29, 1953 in O'Neill, NE to Edward and Mary Ann (Winkler) Etherton. She grew up in O'Neill and attended Saint Mary's Catholic School before graduating from O'Neill High School in 1971. After graduation she attended the College of St. Mary's in Omaha before receiving her degree in nursing from the Mary Lanning School of Nursing in Hastings, NE.

Joan married Randy Long on July 26, 1975 in O'Neill and they shared three children: Christy, Julie, and Michael. The couple made their home in O'Neill. During the course of her nursing career Joan worked for many years at the O'Neill Family Practice and as the Holt County School Nurse. She later worked as a surgical nurse at Avera St. Anthony Hospital in O'Neill before ending her career as a charge nurse at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Atkinson, retiring in 2018.

She loved reading, bible study, walking, scrapbooking, watching movies, going out to eat, and spending time with her dogs.

Joan is survived by her husband of 48 years, Randy Long of O'Neill; Children and spouses Christy (Steve) Hostert of Seward, NE; Julie (Noah) Maulsby of Ravenna, NE; Michael Long of Norfolk, NE, 7 grandchildren: Taylor, Kaytee and Sami Hostert, Carson, Lilah, Reid and Elise Maulsby; brother Tom (Lorraine) Etherton of Atkinson, NE; nephews, Ed (Shannon) Etherton of North Platte, NE and Pat (Kat) Etherton of Omaha, NE.

She was preceded in death by her father, Edward Etherton, mother, Mary Van Every, and stepfather, Kenneth Van Every.