Leon Ralph Delong, born January 14, 1938 in Bridgewater, Maine, went to sleep on March 22, 2015 in Seattle and awoke in the arms of Jesus. Leon was thankful and overwhelmed by the thoughtful visits, notes and prayers he received in his last weeks. In his final hours he was surrounded by his loving wife and daughter and two special friends singing him to heaven.
Reared on a potato farm in Monticello, Maine with 7 siblings, 2 parents and one bathroom, Leon graduated from Houlton High School in 1956. He left the glamour of farming to join the Navy, where he spent most of his time at sea as a Fire Control 
Technician. His tours included trips to the North Atlantic, the Red Sea and Persian Gulf and while in the Mediterranean he was befriended in Italy by romantic locals. Leon lost his father to Hodgkin’s Disease in 1957. Upon completing his Navy service, Leon followed his sister Joy Keough to the West Coast, where he studied electrical engineering at the University of Washington by day. By night he funded his education parking cars at the 6th & Pine garage and driving cab. He attended opening night at the Coliseum Theater and met his first wife, Maridee Garvey, at Vito’s on Madison Street. They reared their daughter, Allison Delong, in North Seattle.
After leaving the UW, Leon worked as a laborer for City of Seattle Parks and then got hired on as a helper at Seattle City Light. He moved up quickly to Journeyman Cable Splicer, retiring as a Cable Splicer Crew Chief after 32 years with SCL. Leon helped install power vaults for landmark buildings such as the Rainier (Bank) Tower, and was occasionally called to shut off power to one well-respected performing arts theater for non-payment. Leon resisted efforts to promote him to management, though he did occasionally fill in as a supervisor, in his words, “doing the heavy looking on”.
Leon met his wife of 23 years, Sharon Wester Delong, at SCL and after several years riding their motorcycles together they spent their retirement years playing as many Washington state golf courses as possible, were very active at Grace Fellowship church, and volunteered for many years at Taproot Theater. Leon was a life-long blood donor, and was recently recognized for 15 years of volunteer service to Northwest Harvest in a Seattle Times article by Danny Westneat in which he was dubbed “The TP Guy” (google it). His family is proud to note that Leon was recently nominated for a Washington State Jefferson Award for his public service and volunteerism in connection with his work on behalf of Northwest Harvest.
Leon was preceded in death by his mother Dorothy née Hanning, father Elbridge Luther Delong, his sister Joy Keough and brothers Vincent (“Bud”), and Walter. Leon is survived by wife, Sharon, daughter, Allison, son-in-law John Johnson, grandson Ford Johnson, sisters Pat McGowan and Candy Muehleisen, brothers Alvin and Gary, step-son Kevin Vander Ploeg, and countless nephews, nieces and cherished friends.
We will celebrate Leon’s life on May 2nd at 2pm at Grace Fellowship, 410 NW 62nd St, Seattle. Everyone is welcome. We will celebrate with Leon’s east coast family and friends in August in his hometown of Monticello, ME. Details to follow here when available.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Leon’s name to Northwest Harvest or Salvation Army.