Dwight J. Long

It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Dwight "Otter" Jerrold Long. He was born October 28, 1943 to Alice Lucile Horton and Perry James Long, Jr. Dwight, aged 79, died of complications of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, on December 12, 2022 in Klamath Falls, Oregon, with his wife by his side.

A Portland native, Dwight graduated from Grant High School in 1961, and later earned his degree in business administration from Portland State University. At age 19 he had his first organizing experience, putting together rallies for the MG club. He met his beloved wife Paula on a mushroom hunt at Brietenbush Hotsprings in 1979; he said he found her under a toadstool! They married on Mt. Hood at Little Crater Lake on August 11, 1984. Together they traveled extensively, in this country and abroad, following their mutual love of culture, nature and adventure. Dwight loved being in nature. Mushroom hunting continued to be a joy he shared with Paula and friends. On the home front, he was an avid organic gardener, cook and food preserver. Otter enjoyed swimming in any water, but was most often found at the Y. He was a passionate citizen scientist, providing climate data to CoCoRaHS.

Dwight considered himself a social architect and a warrior for Mother Earth. You could see this in the jobs he held and in the thousands of hours he volunteered for his communities and for our planet. He was instrumental in forming Sunflower Recycling, Inc. (an early Portland recycling organization), the most deeply satisfying and rewarding work experience of his life. He started the very first recycling program in Farmington, New Mexico, which later became the model program for the entire state. Also in New Mexico, Dwight worked for Fighting Back, a substance abuse reduction program on the Navajo Reservation.

He worked extensively with government agencies and non-profits to reduce solid waste and protect water and soil quality. Dwight was one of the earliest members of Klamath Sustainable Communities (now Sustainable Klamath), an offshoot of the League of Women Voters. He was key in the development of the Klamath Tool Library and the Community Garden, both special projects of Sustainable Klamath.

Dwight's work included serving on multiple boards for the betterment of his communities, including Hawthorne Merchants' Association, Richmond Neighborhood Association, the Klamath County Library Advisory Board and Friends of the Library, the Museum Foundation Board, Klamath County Commissioners' Solid Waste Advisory Board and the Klamath Greenways Foundation. Dwight was also instrumental in securing stable funding for the Klamath County Library. He was always ready to offer his skills to accomplish shared goals.

Dwight was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Wayne Horton Long. He is survived by his wife and life partner of 43 years, Paula Phillips Long, his sister-in-law Pricilla Waters and her son Jack Waters, both of London, England, sister-in-law Pamela Phillips of Edmonds, Washington, sister Lauretta Chapman and her son Kevin, of San Jose, California, cousin Dianne McQueen and her son Cameron McQueen of Federal Way, Washington, and numerous friends around the world.

By request, there will not be a service; a celebration of life will be organized at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your local food bank or an organization working to protect our precious planet and help carry on Dwight's work. Casacde Cremation & Burial is assisting with arrangments.