Dewey LeGrande Long

Dewey LeGrande Long left his family to mourn on December 26, 2024, after a short illness. Born March 20,1940 to Jack and Kathryn (Cox) Long in Las Vegas, New Mexico, Dewey was raised with a strong work ethic and commitment to family. As a young man, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and graduated as valedictorian of his high school class in Salida, Colorado, in 1958. Dewey married Sandra Cowan (Sandy) in 1961, pledged Sigma Chi and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Denver in 1962, and graduated from Northwestern University (now Feinberg) Medical School in 1966. He was drafted into the U.S. Army Medical Corps and proudly served his country in South Korea and Washington, D.C., from 1968-70.

Dewey and Sandy welcomed their first child, Jennifer, in 1965 and settled in the Dallas area not long after, where Dewey pursued a residency in Nephrology and then joined Dallas Nephrology Associates in practice, and the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine in teaching. Dewey and Sandy welcomed sons Jeffrey, Jeremy, and Terence and settled their thriving family in Duncanville. Dewey’s successful career allowed him to pursue a great many passions over the course of his long life: his library numbered thousands of books, on topics ranging from military history, U.S. politics, to nature studies and philosophy; award winning photography; hiking, especially in his beloved Colorado Rockies and Big Bend National Park, Texas; gardening, including beautiful rose gardens he cultivated over decades and prosperous vegetable gardens; bird hunting in West Texas, with family hunting dogs Lucky, Ace, and Sugar; SCUBA diving with Sandy and his kids around the world, including the Pacific, Gulf of Thailand, Red Sea, and all over the Caribbean; a passion for Denver Broncos football and University of Denver hockey that bordered on maniacal; and, in retirement and beginning in 1999 with the birth of his first grandchild, active travel and dedication to them, attending their important life events and taking them on trips they’ll remember always.

Dewey left the Dallas area after Sandy’s death in 2001 and his marriage to Deborah (Debby). Dewey and Debby lived happily in the St. Louis area until summer 2024, enjoying time with their combined children and grandchildren. As Dewey’s health concerns grew, they made the decision to return to Colorado to be near family, excellent medical care, and the community they found at Clermont Park Senior Living Community and Christ Episcopal Church. The entire family is grateful to Jeremy and Amy for overseeing Dewey’s care at the end of his life.

Dewey is survived by Debby; daughter Jennifer (Vladimir); sons Jeff (Catherine), Jeremy (Amy), and Terry (Olivia); Jennifer and Vladimir’s children Nikolai and Sasha; Jeff and Catherine’s children William and Lucy; Jeremy and Amy’s children Zach, Daniel, and Abby; Terry and Olivia’s son Andrew; and shared grandchildren with Debby, Eleanor, Hugh, Samantha, and Jack, as well as Debby’s son Jason (Cathy). Dewey was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather to each of us.

A memorial service is planned for Memorial Day weekend, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. It will be held at Christ Church Denver, 2950 S University Blvd, Denver, CO 80210, on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 10:30 AM.

The family requests and is grateful for memorial gifts to the Dewey L. and Deborah C. Long Undergraduate Research Fellowship, honoring their passion for and dedication to undergraduate education at the University of Denver.

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/42704/donations/new?designation_id=45091173&

If you’d like to mail a check or money order please include the designation Long Undergraduate Research Endowment on the memo line and made payable to the University of Denver to:

University of Denver

P.O. Box 910585

Denver CO 80291-0585