Deborah Jane Long, of Amherst, Massachusetts., Daughter of Wesley S. and Dorothy M. Long, aged 62, was born on June 11, 1957; she died on November 29, 2019. Deborah was a retired Division Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System’s Northeast Region of the Department of the Interior, in Hadley, from 2009 through 2019, providing field support to 75 refuges in 13 New England and Mid-Atlantic states protecting over 550,000 acres of habitat.
Deb grew up on Lloyd Neck, Huntington, NY, and attended Cold Spring Harbor H.S. where she developed a passion for nature and the outdoors. A graduate of Colorado State University (1979) with a BS in Biology and Zoology, and with an MBA and Teaching Certificate in Applied Science from the University of Colorado, Deb commenced her career as an environmental scientist and middle school teacher. Her 27 year career with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Refuge System started at Denver’s Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge in 1992, followed by assignments in Chatham, Mass, Southern New Jersey and Long Island, NY. In June 2019, Deb was granted the Department of the Interior’s Superior Service Award.
Passionate about protecting and preserving the environment, Debbie was a mentor to many and fostered a collaborative team environment. She was a respected leader, advisor, and colleague whose impact is lasting and whose spirit has touched us all. We will miss Deb’s friendship, integrity, strength, kindness and her humble and unending sense of service and boundless dedication to family, friends and care for the environment.
Deb is survived by her loving and devoted daughter, Anna; sister, Barbara; nephew, Chris; niece, Kate; and loyal dog Hariett.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Newman Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 472 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, on Saturday, December 14, 2019, at 11 AM.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to: Long Island Bird Conservation Program c/o Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center, Oyster Bay, NY 11771, or Hospice of the Fisher Home, Amherst, MA.