OXFORD, Miss. – Two brothers who served in World War II, graduated from
the University of Mississippi with business degrees and followed their
father in the family business are being honored with a scholarship at
their alma mater.
Named for Raiford N. Long Sr. of Ripley and the late Erst Long Jr. of
Corinth, the business scholarship endowment was created with a $125,000
gift from Randall G. “Randy” Long of Long Wholesale Distributors Inc.
in Corinth, and Raiford N. “Ray” Long Jr. and Samuel E. “Sam” Long III
of Long Wholesale Inc. of Meridian.
“Ole Miss was a
consistent thread throughout their entire lives, and that love for Ole
Miss is being carried on by their family,” Randy Long said. “We wanted
to pay tribute to their lives in a way that combined their love of the
university and their long presence in the Mississippi business
community. A business scholarship endowment at their alma mater seemed
like the perfect vehicle.”
Ray Long said his father and uncle earned reputations for being
positive people, each with a great sense of humor, and for their
outstanding work ethic.
“These men have always been recognized as extremely
hard-working, balancing their business with being great family men and
dedicated Christians,” he said. “They also had a high degree of
integrity and ethics, something to which the third and fourth
generations now running the family businesses aspire. They always told
their sons that whatever business or vocation we pursued, to do so with
integrity at all costs.”
With the help of its employees, the Long distribution centers
have evolved from a general store supplier, delivering orders with a
horse and wagon, to one of the largest convenience store suppliers in
the South, according to the company. The Long family likewise has
extensive history at Ole Miss and, in particular, with the School of
Business Administration. Among degrees that family members have earned
on the Oxford campus are seven in business, three in law, two in
education, two in accountancy and one in music. When Erst Long Jr.
attended Ole Miss, his wife, Velma, was the secretary to the business
dean.
“The generosity and commitment of the Long family is very
inspiring, and we greatly appreciate this gift,” said Ken Cyree,
business school dean. “Through this family’s philanthropy, Ole Miss
students will benefit for years to come. It is truly moving to see the
family’s passion for the School of Business Administration represented
through multiple generations. We are grateful for their support and
dedication to the business school and the University of Mississippi.”
Randy Long said his uncle is pleased with the scholarship and believes his father, who died in 2006, would have been, also.
“They always were very aware that they owed much to Ole Miss because
the training and education they received played a huge role in their
success,” he said. “They both avoided the spotlight and were always
very humble.”
The family hopes the scholarships will help deserving young people take
advantage of opportunities Ole Miss offers, Ray Long said.
“Creating a scholarship endowment is a very lasting way to honor
my dad and to memorialize my uncle,” he said. “We want to help some
students experience what we all have experienced. Growing up, my dad
was always gathering us all for a car, train or airplane ride to follow
Ole Miss football and other sports. He was very enthusiastic about his
team, and for 40-plus years he never missed a game. Now we all have
second homes in Oxford in order to attend university events and enjoy
Oxford. Family members see each other more than we normally would
because Ole Miss brings us all together.”
In 1922, Erst Long Sr. founded Tippah Wholesale Co. in Ripley,
selling groceries, general merchandise, hardware and other supplies. In
the 1940s, another warehouse opened in Corinth under the name of Alcorn
Wholesale. The two Long sons, Erst Jr. – who served in the U.S. Air
Force – and Raiford – who served in the U.S. Navy – then became active
in the family businesses.
In 1964, the Longs purchased a company in Meridian to expand
their service territory. Through the years, they built three more
warehouses in Meridian and Corinth. Other distributors were merged into
their operations, including Corr-Williams Wholesale of Meridian,
Hattiesburg Grocery Co. and, most recently, J.J. Rogers and Sons
Wholesale in Tupelo.
The Long Scholarship will be open to full-time business students
who maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point average. Selection will be made
by the School of Business Administration selection committee with
approval by the dean. The Long Scholarship Endowment is open to receive
gifts from individuals and organizations.
For more information about contributing to scholarship programs and other initiatives at the University of Mississippi, go to http://www.umfoundation.com/