July 21, 1920 – June 15, 2017

NATCHEZ —  Services for Catherine Mary Long, 96, of Madison, formerly of Natchez, who died Thursday, June 15, 2017, at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland, will be 11 a.m. Friday at St. Mary Basilica with the Rev. Leopold Keffler officiating.

Burial will follow at the Natchez National Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Friday at the church.

Mrs. Long was born July 2, 1920, in Vermont, the daughter of Oliver Peter Lacasse and Nora Alice Blaire Lacasse.

One of 14 siblings, she grew up on her father’s dairy farm, experienced the Great Depression, graduated from Fanny Allen Nursing School in 1940, and served her country as an army nurse during World War II.

She met the man who would become her husband, Arvin Long, at an Army base in New Mexico where they both served. They were married in 1944. The family would move to Natchez in the late 1950s where Catherine was one of the founding nursing staff of Jefferson Davis Memorial Hospital and continued to work until 1975.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Arvin Gether Long; and one daughter, Cynthia Long.

Survivors include four children, Donna Broussard of Montrose, Ala., Jeffrey Long and Steven Long of Madison, and Kathleen Long of Hattiesburg; 17 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Albert Lacassse.

Pallbearers will be Jason Broussard, Mark Bryan, Taylor Bryan, Clinton Long, Cullen Long, Atticus Long, Gage Bonner, Byron Broussard and Cory Bonner.

Honorary pallbearers will be Oliver Long and Eli Long.

Online condolences may be sent to lairdfh.com.