“Always think positive, go to church, and stay very close to God,” wise words from resident, Ms. Glenda Long. Ms. Long was born in 1945 to Lottie Elsa and Leroy Walker in Jefferson County. Both parents worked very hard at running the family farm. Lottie Elsa canned food, worked tobacco, planted and harvested the vegetable garden, did all the cleaning, cooking, and laundry for the family. Glenda’s father, Leroy Walker, worked with the dairy cows on the farm and bailed hay, while maintaining the additional areas of the farm. The family rented out a small home on their land to the Rhodes family, who had two children. Together the Rhodes children and Glenda played outdoors, laying in the sun, playing dolls, and sharing meals together, and they became close friends over time. One of the funniest memories Ms. Glenda recalls is dressing up as a hobo for Halloween and enjoying the laughter that it created. While young, she also took piano lessons and eventually began to play the piano at church on Sundays.
Ms. Long remembers growing up with fond memories. She would ride her bicycle to the county store to buy candy, which only cost 5 to 10 cents! One of her most beloved memories is attending church and then making fried chicken, her favorite meal, with her family. Ms. Glenda graduated high school in 1963 and went on to attend Carson Newman University and later attended Beauty School. She recalls making a D in English and then taking courses at Knoxville Business School to improve her typing and short-hand. In high school, Ms. Glenda met Jesse Long, her future husband. Glenda was a captain of her cheerleading team and would cheer for Jesse, a football player. When she met Jesse, she says it was love at first sight. The two dated for three years and then were married. Together, they had one child, Sheila, who schedules surgery at Jefferson County hospital. Over the years, Ms. Glenda worked as a beautician at Hair Fashions by Frances and Primp Shop, while Jesse worked at Magnavox and Lear Siegler. Glenda and Jesse often took trips to visit Washington, D.C. where Jesse’s sister worked for the FBI.
Ms. Long spends her days at Jefferson Park having fun with her numerous friends, playing bingo, attending parties, fashion shows, and much more. When the weather is nice, she loves to go outside and sit on the front porch. Glenda loves to read and watch TV, particularly Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, and every Sunday she makes sure to attend church.
When you are at Jefferson Park Dandridge, stop in to visit Ms. Glenda Long. At our skilled nursing facility, we strive to serve our residents with compassionate care. Residents are not just another person or number, they are our family and friends whom we highly respect. For Ms. Glenda Long, a Jefferson Park at Dandridge resident, choosing to experience this chapter of her life with us is an honor in our eyes. To learn more about what Jefferson Park at Dandridge has to offer your loved one, continue to browse our website or contact us by phone at (865) 397-3163 or via our online form.