2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 184
BY SENATORS ALARIO, ALLAIN, APPEL, BARROW, BISHOP, BOUDREAUX,
CARTER, CHABERT, CLAITOR, COLOMB, CORTEZ, DONAHUE,
ERDEY, FANNIN, GATTI, HENSGENS, HEWITT, JOHNS,
LAFLEUR, LAMBERT, LUNEAU, MARTINY, MILKOVICH, MILLS,
MIZELL, MORRELL, MORRISH, PEACOCK, PETERSON, PRICE,
RISER, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH, TARVER, THOMPSON,
WALSWORTH, WARD AND WHITE
A RESOLUTION
To commend Senator Gerald Long for his years of service to the citizens of the state of
Louisiana while a member of the Louisiana Senate and the President Pro Tempore.
WHEREAS, it is with enduring gratitude that Senate President Pro Tempore Gerald
Long is commended for his stellar contributions to his constituents in the parishes of Grant,
Natchitoches, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, and Winn, and to the citizens of the state of
Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, Senator Long is a lifelong resident of Louisiana, having been reared in
Winn Parish; and
WHEREAS, he graduated from Winnfield High School in 1962, and in 1966, he
graduated from Northwestern State University; and
WHEREAS, while a senior at Northwestern State University, he met a beautiful
freshman, Rose Marie Landry, who would become the love of his life; Gerald and Rose
married in 1966, and that was the beginning of a love affair and partnership that would last
50 years until her death in 2017; and
WHEREAS, they reared three loving and caring children, Andrea Long Phillips, Pam
Long Jordan, and Richard Long; nine grandsons, and one granddaughter; Senator Long and
Mrs. Rose passed down a love of God, as shown by their life and love, to their children and
grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, since the death of his wife, he has remarried Valerie Aymond Long; and
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WHEREAS, after graduating from Northwestern State University with a bachelor's
degree in education with a minor in English, he taught at Houma Junior High School and
Leesville High School; and
WHEREAS, after teaching for a few years, he started a career in the insurance
business and eventually he retired in 1999 as an insurance agent for State Farm Insurance
Company; and
WHEREAS, Senator Long earned the distinction of being a lifetime member of the
State Farm President's Club which is earned by fewer than two percent of insurance agents
nationally; and
WHEREAS, while an insurance agent and after he retired, Senator Long mentored
numerous college students, coaches, and high school and middle school students in the
Natchitoches area through his involvement with Fellowship of Christian Athletes for over
eighteen years; and
WHEREAS, Senator Long is a member and deacon of the First Baptist Church of
Natchitoches and because of his sincere and passionate belief in God, he is willing to witness
to anyone about his faith; and
WHEREAS, Senator Long is a descendant of the Long family political dynasty in
the state of Louisiana, and in that tradition, he ran for office in 2007, and was elected senator
for District 31 beginning in 2008; and
WHEREAS, he has served on numerous boards and commissions such as the
Louisiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, the Legislative Advisory Council for
the Southern Regional Education Board, the Louisiana Rural Caucus, the Northwestern State
University Athletic Board of Directors, and the Ark-La-Tex Investment and Development
Corporation; and
WHEREAS, he served on numerous legislative committees such as Agriculture,
Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development; Education; Finance; Insurance; Retirement;
Revenue and Fiscal Affairs; Transportation, Highways and Public Works; and the Joint
Legislative Committee on the Budget; and
WHEREAS, Senator Long was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Natural
Resources from 2012 through 2016, and as the chairman, he advocated for water resources
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management by passing legislation that changed the membership of the Water Resources
Commission and the Water Management Advisory Task Force, and that would continue the
development of a statewide water resource management plan; and
WHEREAS, beginning with his legislative term in 2016, he was elected President
Pro Tempore of the Senate and one of his main duties as President Pro Tempore is to
schedule religious leaders to open each legislative day with a prayer, and he looks forward
to and enjoys visiting with every religious leader; and
WHEREAS, when his term as senator for District 31 comes to an end, Senator Long
will enjoy his days fishing for crappie, watching Northwestern State University sports,
cheering on his grandchildren in whatever sport they are playing, and on rare occasions,
shelling pecans.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend Senator Gerald Long and express sincere gratitude for his service to
his constituents in the parishes of Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, and
Winn, and to the citizens of the state of Louisiana during his tenure as a distinguished
member of the Louisiana Senate and as President Pro Tempore, and hereby extends to him
the best wishes of his friends and colleagues for continued prosperity and success in his
future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Senator Gerald Long, President Pro Tempore.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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