Dallas Crutcher Long III, 84

Dallas Long, 84, passed away on Nov. 10, 2024. He was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1940 and moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1945. Dallas found his claim to fame as a competitor in the shot put. Once called, "The Leader of the Shot Put Revolution," he began his climb by setting the high school shot put record for Arizona, a record that held for 60 years. He won a gold medal in the Russia vs US games in Los Angeles (1958), a bronze medal in the Rome Olympics (1960), and the Gold in Tokyo (1964). He broke his own world record seven times before he retired after the '64' games to continue his education, becoming a dentist (University of Southern California) and then an emergency room physician (Washington University, St Louis).

He and his first wife raised three daughters and a son in Newport Beach, California. He loved his children, nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren. And he loved Ferraris.

In 2003, newly divorced and nearing retirement, he moved to Whitefish. He continued working in California until he settled full-time in Whitefish and married Suzanne "Suzie" Luhrs Royer. His days were spent doing the things he hadn't had time to do before he retired: reading, endlessly researching on his iPad, working on crossword puzzles, telling stories, and napping. He never lost his intellect or his humor.

In his last years, he had three wonderful caregivers/companions, Trish, Barbara, and Harriet, who, along with Suzie, lit up his days. They talked to him, enriched his life, listened to his stories, played trivia, shared interesting things with him, and enjoyed his company. Instead of being angry as his physical condition deteriorated, he understood and accepted what was happening. After all, he was a doctor. As he grew older, he grew kinder, more polite, and very appreciative of the people in his life.

The last few months of Dallas's life were a good time for him. He had visits from local friends, his priest, his children, and friends he had known since high school. They laughed about their youth and retold funny stories. As he began to drift from life, he napped more. One afternoon, while Suzie was with him, he went down for his usual afternoon nap and never woke up, dying at 84 of natural causes at Bee Hive Homes in Columbia Falls under the care of Hospice. 

No memorial service is planned in Whitefish.