Seattle, WA - Eileen Doris Long, age 97, of Seattle, WA, left us January 10, 2026.

Born on May 1, 1928, Eileen was the daughter of Doris Edna Bigelow (1898-1970) and Lowell Rumsey Bigelow (1893-1929), and the sister of Gerald Bigelow (1925-2003).

Eileen spent her life helping others. Whether it was through her life's work as a founding social worker (MSW University of Washington 1954) of Seattle's Head Start program, running the QuEST program (Quaker Experiential Service and Training) at Seattle's University Friends Meeting, or growing vegetables for her family, friends, and the local food bank at the oldest P-Patch in the US, Seattle's Picardo Farm P-Patch, she did it with great joy. She taught her children about nature, simple pleasures, and the creative life. Mom gave her beautiful smile and helping hands to everyone she met around the world. She loved living on planet earth and getting her hands dirty in it. Eileen's life, shared with her beloved husband who she goes to meet, William G. Long, Jr. (1927-2014), was a long, blessed life of love and service. Eileen leaves behind her loving children: daughter Cynthia Louise Long and her husband Casey Allen, son Michael Allen Long and his wife Frederique Long, her grandson Mathieu Long, great-grandson Gordon Boyd, niece Naomi Parry, and nephew Jon Parry, along with a host of beloved family and friends the world over. We are legion. She will be most dearly missed.

A Celebration of Life for family and close friends will be held later this spring when the flowers are in bloom and joyful.

Donations to her beloved University Friends Meeting

(https://www.ufmseattle.org/) are welcome.