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DeLong's humor, dedication recalled

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Daniel DeLong

TURTLE TOWNSHIP — It's a pretty good bet that Dan DeLong would have wanted to make you laugh today.

He might have made a crack about the long line at his visitation or maybe teased some local farmers for being dressed up in suits and ties.

Whatever the situation, friends and family members will remember DeLong's sense of humor and his dedication to community.

DeLong, 51, died Tuesday after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was diagnosed with the disease in February 2008. He noticed the first symptoms in summer 2007.

DeLong's ability to make jokes got him through a life of work on the farm and in agribusiness, said Bob DeLong, his older brother.

"Dan was always joking," Bob said.

Bob was the oldest in a family of four; Dan was the youngest.

"I would tend to give orders," Bob said. "And for years, I've told him, 'Dan, you know how to step on my toes without ruining the shine on my shoes.'"

Dan DeLong's son, Jeremy, agreed with his uncle.

"Whether he was mad at you or had to straighten you out about something … everything he said he would tell you in a way it was a joke and made you smile," Jeremy DeLong said.

Dan's three children and the truck drivers who worked for him at the DeLong Co. in Clinton knew to expect Dan's sense of humor to shine through, Jeremy said.

Dan will be missed not only by his family and close friends but by many organizations that benefited over the years from his commitment to community service, said Roger Anclam, a friend and Turtle Town Board chairman.

Anclam worked for 12 years with Dan on the Town of Turtle Planning Commission and was elected chairman of the town board in April after Dan chose not to seek re-election.

"He loved anything that had to do with the community," Anclam said.

Dan's commitment to service was more than just lip service, Anclam said.

"Everybody always says, 'If you need something, call me,'" Anclam said. "But when that time comes, everyone's not always available. Dan was always available. He was always there."

In addition to serving on the Turtle Town Board, Dan volunteered at the Turtle Fourth of July celebration. He served on the Turtle Fire Department in the 1970s.

Dan also was a member of the Beloit Memorial Hospital Foundation Board, the Pelishek-Tiffany Nature Trail Foundation and the Clinton Kiwanis.

Dan was a fan of youth sports and 4-H. He worked as an announcer and coach.

Kristin DeLong worked with her dad, Dan, at the family business until he retired last year after more than 30 years.

Kristin recognizes the efforts her dad made in the community. To her, though, he was just "Dad," who never missed a chance to cheer on his kids.

"He was really dedicated," Kristin said. "He never missed an event. Whether it was a band concert or a sports game, he made it seem like it was the Olympics. He made everything important."

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often called Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a progressive, degenerative disease that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord. It affects the way the brain communicates with muscles.

-- Symptoms of ALS are different for each person, but early signs often include muscle twitching, cramping or fatigue, slurred speech or a tendency to drop things or trip.

As symptoms progress, people with ALS often lose control of their hands or feet. They might have a hard time lifting, walking or doing day-to-day things such as opening lids or getting dressed.

Eventually, the weakness and paralysis spread into the body, affecting the ability to speak, swallow or breathe.

The senses are not affected, and most people retain the use of their bladders and eyes.

In most cases, the mind is not impaired.

-- Recent advances in treatment and adaptive technology allow ALS patients to live longer, more productive lives. Half of all ALS patients live at least three years after they are diagnosed; 20 percent live five or more years; as many as 10 percent live for 10 or more years.

-- ALS affects about two people out of 100,000. That's about 15 new cases a day in the United States for an estimated 30,000 people affected at any time.

Men and women are affected equally.

-- Noted French neurologist Jean Martin Charcot first described the disease in detail in 1869. But ALS remains hard to diagnose, and the cause is still unknown. There is no cure, and medical treatment is limited.

A diagnosis often involves months of testing while doctors eliminate other possibilities.

Source: The ALS Association and www.lougehrig.com