Arthur Kimble Long

June 17, 1921 - June 6, 2012

Arthur ‘Lucky’ Long, Sr., artist, inventor, animator,  and humanitarian, passed away two weeks shy of his 91st birthday. Lucky was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma on June 19, 1921. He was always proud of the fact that he was born on ‘Juneteenth’, the celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, and did everything he could to eliminate prejudice and promote equality among individuals. A 1996 Tulsa World article entitled ‘Humanitarian Glasses to Block Prejudicial Rays’  portrayed his efforts to get school children to pledge that they would consider everyone equally.  A World War II Navy Veteran, he served in Key West, Florida and the Philippine Islands where he taught sonar operators how to detect enemy submarines.  With an eye toward beauty, Lucky painted portraits of ballerina Maria Tallchief, along with a massive mural of Pawnee Bill and Buffalo Bill Cody merging their two Wild West shows.  He also had an incredible mind that allowed him to build complex animations for Casa Bonita in Denver, Colorado and a mechanical Jesus for the Davis Gun museum in Claremore.  One of the early television pioneers, Lucky was the Chief Production designer at KCEB TV which is now KTUL-TV. He later worked for American Airlines as a technical illustrator where he drew thousands of blueprints for airplane parts. He married a cute girl named Katie two weeks after they met at a bus stop in Brookside. They were married 71 years.  He is survived by his wife Katie, two sons, Art Long, Jr. and his wife Rita of Keystone Lake, and Paul Long of Tulsa. He has one grandson, Jeremy Englis and his wife Michelle of Broken Arrow, a great grandson, Eric Englis of Tulsa and a great granddaughter, Makayla Englis of Broken Arrow. Visitation will be Monday from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM with family receiving from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Floral Haven Funeral Home. The funeral will be held Tuesday at 10:00 AM at Brookside Baptist Church. The family requests donation in lieu of flowers be made to Disabled American Veterans or Brookside Baptist Church.