Jean Longley

Canton, Jean Kenny Longley, age 85, passed away on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at her residence.

A native of Miami, Florida, and a resident of Haywood County for 59 years, she was the daughter of the late Levon and Iola Ezell Kenny. She is also preceded in death by her brother, Don Kenny.

Jean dedicated the course of her life to the care and support of the assisted living community.  She followed in the footsteps of her mother, working as both owner and administrator of Silver Bluff Village, and even built upon this legacy by adding Silver Bluff skilled nursing, Arrowhead Cove assisted living, the Bluffs independent living, and onsite child day care.  Jean was committed to providing quality, person-centered care and to helping other organizations improve the care of the elderly. She was appointed by NC Governor Jim Hunt to the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging.

She retired in 1998 knowing that her daughter, Lisa Leatherwood, and the support of the entire family, would maintain the excellent care standards she established. Jean enjoyed traveling, cooking, entertaining and loved her grandchildren whom she called "her girls".  She was a member of the Mount Pisgah Academy SDA Church.

Jean is survived by her husband of 64 years, Max B. Longley.  She is also survived by her three daughters, Lisa Leatherwood, and her husband, Bob, of Waynesville; Jodi Pierce, and her husband Guy, of High Point, North Carolina; and Lia Clemens, and her husband, Neal, of McKinney, Texas; seven grandchildren, Kaelyn Pierce, Hailey Pierce, Zoë Leatherwood, Ally Leatherwood, Brandon Clemens, Emily Clemens, Jordan (Ashley) Pierce; and two great-grandchildren, Jane, and Henry Pierce.

Following CDC guidelines, a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date at Silver Bluff Village due to recent increase in Covid-19 cases.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a non-profit scholarship, Haywood Community College Foundation/Silver Bluff Nursing Hero Endowment, 185 Freelander Drive, Building 100, Clyde, NC 28721.

The care of Mrs. Longley has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.