Esther Mae Long

Esther Long, 81 passed away on February 2nd, 2026 at The Village at Mission Assisted Living facility in Prairie Village, KS. She was born on May 13th, 1944 to Lathan and Susie Anderson Grant in Greenville, MS. Esther grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, was educated in USD500 and graduated from Sumner High School in Kansas City, Kansas in 1962. After high school she attended Kansas City, Kansas Community College. Esther’s career path took her to the University of Kansas hospital and the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services where she worked for more than 35 years until her retirement.

Esther married Goerge Long in 1992 in Kansas City, Kansas. They were happily married for 29 years until his death in 2021.  

In her spare time, she loved to spend time at home with family cooking one of her fabulous meals, gather with friends in her bible study group, travel with the ladies of “Eight is Enough”, convene with the women of the Pierian Club of Kansas City, Kansas and participate in Sumner Class of ‘62 activities. She also loved attending events around the city, shopping at her many favorite stores and trying out new restaurants. She was a devoted member of Eighth Street Baptist Church where she first accepted Christ and attended faithfully until her health failed.

Esther is survived by her daughters, Nancy Wortham and Mechelle Wortham (Kansas City, KS) and son Gregory Long (Lawrence, KS); Sisters, Julia Gipson, Lola Gray (Kansas City, KS), Jesse Thomas (Cincinnati, OH) Edna Pollard (Greenville, MS) and Angela Pratt (Fort Worth, TX); Grandchildren Breana Griffin, Shayla Calvin, Aleah Estes (Kansas City, KS) and Vivian Fernandez (Lawrence, KS); great grand children Ru’Cari Kimbrel, Rasani Kimbrel and Ra’Shya Kimbrel (Kansas City, KS) her many nieces and nephews; and a host of other relatives and friends.

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