Frances Hoke Long

Frances Hoke Long, 91, formerly of Carlisle, passed away Thursday, April 7, at The Nottingham retirement community in Syracuse, New York. Her husband of 71 years, Dr. Howard C. Long Sr., and other members of her loving family were by her side.
Born in Rock Hill, South Carolina, she was the daughter of the late Wade Hampton Hoke and Marion Baker Hoke. She earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Winthrop College in 1944 and immediately moved to Washington, DC, to assist with the war effort. She quickly landed a job at the David Taylor Model Basin, a ship design testing facility operated by the U.S. Department of Navy. Soon after, she met her husband to be, and they were married in 1945 by the chaplain of the U.S. Senate.
A resident of Carlisle for 55 years before moving to Syracuse in 2014, she was devoted to her family, to her church, and to the community. She was a long-time and very active member of Allison United Methodist Church and, later, Carlisle United Methodist Church. She sang in the church choir for nearly 50 years, was a past president of the United Methodist Women, and served in many other capacities over the years. Along with her husband, she was a recipient of the church's Blanche and Henry Yeagley Good Samaritan Award for community service. She volunteered with the Carlisle Regional Medical Center for more than 35 years and was involved with Meals on Wheels, the Carlisle Civic Club, and many other community and civic groups. She also was a coordinator for the Cumberland County Office on Aging's Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.
In addition to singing in church choirs her entire life, she was a skilled pianist. She played piano for her home church as a teen and continued to play for services at a local nursing home into her 80s. She also had a deep love and appreciation for nature, animals, and all wildlife.
She is survived by her husband, Dr. Howard C. Long Sr.; a daughter, Carol (and husband, Tom) Boll, of Syracuse, NY; a son, Howard Jr., of Hollister, CA.; four grandchildren, Bethany Boll, Jonathan Boll, Rachel Boll, and Brennan Long; two sisters, Edith Patterson, of Whitewater, WI, and Anne Sheldon, of Kennesaw, GA; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a beloved son, David W. Long, and by two brothers, Wade Hampton Hoke Jr. and William R. Hoke.
A service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 16, at Carlisle United Methodist Church, 45 S. West St., Carlisle, PA with the Rev. Mira Hewlett officiating. Burial will be at Westminster Memorial Gardens, Carlisle.
Hoffman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2020 W. Trindle Road, Carlisle, is handling the arrangements. To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com
Memorial contributions may be made to the ASPCA, the National Wildlife Federation, or to another favorite charity.