Barbara Jean Sexton Long's Obituary
Barbara Jean Sexton Long passed away on June 6, 2026 in Gainesville, following a brave and extended battle with a sudden illness. Barbara was born in Elk Valley, Tennessee on November 25, 1938, the daughter of Ernest Ardell and Georgia Mae Sexton.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Burl Long; her father, Ernest Sexton; her mother, Georgia Sexton; her granddaughter, Lacie Helms and her grandson, Casey Helms.
Barbara is survived by her daughters, Kym Helms (Mark), and Karen Keith; grandchildren Jesse Helms (Danesha), Kelsea Ditzhazy (Austen), Ben Justin Keith, and Bleu Anderson (Emma); great grandchildren Skyler Helms, Jackson, River and Blakely Ditzhazy, and brother in law Doyle Long, as well as extended family and close friends.
Barbara grew up in Maryville, Tennessee and attended Maryville High School before attending the University of Tennessee where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietary Science. She later earned her Registered Nursing license. She worked in emergency medicine and orthopedics in Blacksburg, Virginia before moving to Gainesville, Florida where she worked for 22 years as a psychiatric nurse at the Veteran’s Administration hospital until her retirement in 2007. After retirement she maintained her nursing license, renewing it most recently on April 23rd, 2026.
The University of Tennessee is where she met Burl, the love of her life. They were married December 29, 1959. Their love for each other continued for the next 52 years of marriage and beyond.
Her interests included politics, people, traveling, football, music, and she was an avid reader. She travelled all over the United States and to several other countries including Sweden, Canada and Costa Rica. What Barbara enjoyed most was being with her family, whether at a family gathering or a football game.
Barbara will be remembered for being fiercely loyal, never giving up, her strength of spirit, her kind heart, generosity and her sense of humor. She always looked out for those less fortunate and spoke for those who had little or no voice in the world. She believed in faith, following your dreams, hard work, social justice, standing up for what is right even when it was unpopular, and above all, family. She will be missed, but has left a legacy of integrity, perseverance, humanity and compassion that will live on through her children, grandchildren and the many lives she touched.
A celebration of life will be planned at a later date. Please check the Williams-Thomas Memorial page in the next month or two, as they will post the details of the upcoming Celebration of Life once plans have been finalized.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations in Barbara’s name be made to the Sepsis Alliance.
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