Joanne Long Gwaltney was born on July 25, 1930, to Alice (Ross) and Daniel Freeman Stough, Jr. She passed to heaven peacefully on February 21, 2016. Joanne was born, raised, and graduated from high school in Geary, Oklahoma. She was the older sister to three brothers. From an early age, she appreciated music, taking piano lessons, playing the clarinet in the school band, and eventually joining a country band after high school as the lead vocalist. Joanne completed two years at the University of Oklahoma, but her education was interrupted when she met, fell in love with, and then married Orville Long on September 30, 1950. Joanne continued her schooling part-time while she helped Orville on the farm near Geary and raised their two young sons, Jim and John. In the 1950’s Joanne was a nationally-recognized contest writer. Among her prizes, she won cash, a refrigerator, two color televisions, countless pairs of roller skates, a turkey roaster, a pogo stick, and even a beagle. She wrote a series of articles for Contest Magazine sharing her successful techniques with other contesters nationwide. When contest writing gave way to sweepstakes, Joanne began writing children’s short stories and non-fiction magazine articles. Her stories were frequently featured in The Sunday Oklahoman’s Orbit magazine, christian magazines, and church publications for children. She continued her writing well into her retirement. Joanne obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Southwestern State College and began her teaching career when the young family moved to Cordell, Oklahoma, in 1960. Joanne taught English, Yearbook, and Speech at Cordell High School for 28 years. She coached the school’s speech team with multiple speech and debate state championships. It was while teaching in Cordell that Joanne and Orville had their third child, Joe. Anyone graduating from Cordell High School between 1960 and 1988, had Joanne as their teacher. She was incredibly dedicated to her students, and even after retirement kept in touch with many of them. Joanne always attended the Cordell All-School Reunion in order to visit with former students. After retirement and Orville’s death, Joanne’s passion turned to horse-racing and casinos. She travelled to horse shows, developed a strategy for playing slot-machines and even bought two racehorses. An avid collector of shoes and jewelry, she especially loved turquoise and sterling silver and could not resist purchasing anything with a horse motif. She became re-acquainted with her childhood friend and fellow clarinetist Robert (Bob) Gwaltney. Bob became her travel companion, gambling companion and on June 8, 2008, he became her husband. Joanne had always loved to read, and when she was unable to read on her own, Bob would read aloud to her. He lovingly cared for Joanne and was with her until the very end. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Orville Long and her younger brothers, Dr. Daniel Ross Stough and Dr. Thomas Ross Stough. Joanne is survived by her husband, Bob Gwaltney of Yukon, Oklahoma; three sons, James Daniel Long of Dallas, Texas, John Freeman Long of Cordell, Oklahoma, and Joe Allan Long of Norman Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Kassidy, Karson, and Konrad Long of Norman, Oklahoma; her younger brother, Jerry Ross Stough of Manassas, Virginia; and many nieces, nephews and friends. Joanne was incredibly blessed by many who loved her, and she will be sorely missed. A memorial service will be held Friday, February 26, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. in the Atrium at Spanish Cove in Yukon, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation or to the charity of your choice. Services are under the direction of Turner Funeral Home.