Mildred J. Delong

86, of Van Wert, died at 7:30 p.m. Monday, February 15, 2010, at the Van Wert Inpatient Hospice Center.

She was born September 18, 1923, in Paulding County, the daughter of the late Lester and Mary A. (Black) Thompson. On October 4, 1942, she married Donald F. DeLong, who preceded her in death on July 6, 2000.

Mrs. DeLong worked with her husband in managing the family farm. She was a member of North Union United Methodist Church and the former Crestview North Farmers Institute and was a 1941 Peony Festival queen candidate representing the Union Wildcats.

Survivors include four children, Barbara S. (Robert) Stanley and Brenda A. DeLong, both of Van Wert, Ronald D. (Marianna) DeLong of Defiance, and Philip J. (Rhonda) DeLong of Fort Wayne, Ind.; two brothers, Byron (Kathy) Thompson of Convoy and Marlin (Shirley) Thompson of Ansonia; two sisters, Jean Feasby of Antwerp and Eunice Cook of Phoenix, Ariz.; seven grandchildren, Kim (Bill) Walls of Van Wert, Mark Stanley of London (Ohio), Spencer DeLong and Alison DeLong, both of Fort Wayne, Don (Jennifer) Swander and Travis (Meghan) Swander, both of Ohio City, and Brent Swander of Dublin; two stepgrandchildren, Renata and Monika Grzeniewski of New York City; and seven great-grandchildren, Lauren, Nolan and Evan Walls and Kaedyn, Kallie and Kole Swander.

Two sisters, Virginia Dawson and Marjorie Taylor, and a brother, William Thompson (in infancy), also preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, February 18, at North Union United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Mary Ann Tomlinson officiating. Burial will be in Taylor Cemetery in Cavett.

The family will receive friends from 2-8 p.m. Wednesday, February 17, at Brickner Funeral Home in Van Wert and an hour prior to services Thursday at the church.

Preferred memorials: North Union United Methodist Church or a charity of the donor's choice.