Polly went to be with her Lord and savior on March 11, 2019, in Coalgate at the age of 93 years.

She was born Dec. 21, 1925, in Cole to Nannie (Jackson) Long and Orville Long.

She attended Lehigh Elementary school and graduated from Ada High School in 1943. Polly furthered her education at East Central University in Ada. She received her bachelor's degree in education in 1951, later earning her master's degree.

Polly started teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Coal County at the age of 20 years old. She dedicated her life to learning and teaching others.

Polly retired in 1984 in Rawlins, Wyoming, after 40 years of teaching. She and her husband spent their winters with family and friends in Coalgate, finally residing in Coalgate permanently in 2013.

Polly taught multiple grade levels over her career. Before she retired, she became the school librarian. Polly was married to the love of her life, Leon Lanoy, on Aug. 2, 1946, at Coalgate. He preceded her in death in 2015.

Polly was a coal miner's wife and the wife of a principal of education and served as the wife of a WWII veteran.

One of Polly's lifetime achievements was authoring the book "A Colossal Fossil and The Life Story of Leon Lanoy," a Tiger Medallion Award winner by ECU for philanthropy in 2008. In 2009, they were inducted into the Educator's Hall of Fame and in 2016, the Education Building at ECU was named the Lanoy Building in their honor. She received Teacher of the Year in 1977 and also was named an outstanding member of Delta Kappa Gamma. She was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church, the Order of the Eastern Star, the Department of Education Kappa Delta Pi and Delta Kappa Gamma. She was a ranch hand and a hard worker. Her pastimes included camping, fishing and hosting dinners, as well as weekly game nights with family and friends. She was dearly loved and will be missed greatly.

Polly is survived by two nephews, John Long and wife, Debra, andRobert Long and wife, Karen; a niece, Janna Shelley and husband, Kyle; 11 great-nieces and -nephews; and a sister-in-law, Margaret Sandman.

Polly was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one brother, Gene Long; a sister-in-law, Helen Long; and a niece, Susan (Long) Russell.

Special friends who were there for Polly every step of the way: Harold and Gwenda DePasse, Gary and Linda Hatridge, Mary Carnrike, Floyd Williamson and Palula Howard. Next-door neighbor, Helen Jones. A very grateful thank-you to Polly's caregivers, Jennette Wells and Darnette Taylor.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Brown's Funeral Chapel, Coalgate, with Pastor Joey Lansdale and Brother Bill Sluder officiating. Interment will follow at Lehigh Cemetery.

Family visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Brown's Funeral Chapel.