Dr. Donlin Martin Long

Donlin Martin Long, pioneering neurosurgeon and loving family man, died unexpectedly while fly fishing on September 19th, 2023, at the age of 89. He is survived by wife Harriett Page Long (nee Kallenbach); children Kimberley Page Riley (Lee Hunter Riley III), Elisabeth Merchant Long, David Bradford Long (Elizabeth Selvin); grandchildren Lauren Palmer Riley, Thomas Hunter Riley, Benjamin Logan Selvin Long and Eli Duncan Selvin Long; sister-in-law Patricia Jane Trieb; and cousin, Holly Ann Atkinson (nee Long). Don grew up in Missouri where he met his beloved wife, Harriett. He received his BA and MD from the University of Missouri, and then moved to the University of Minnesota for his PhD and medical residency. Don was the founding chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University in 1973 where he was known as an outstanding surgeon, pioneer in the field of pain, and mentor to the next generation of neurosurgeons. Don valued culture, travel, and education and was a dedicated lifelong learner. He developed a love of opera at the feet of his beloved Uncle Victor and attended and supported the Metropolitan Opera for over 40 years. He traveled widely, eagerly learning about different cultures and their history and was an inveterate explorer of the natural environment having visited all the nation’s major national parks. He was an avid gardener who planted trees and flowers to showcase every season, always with an eye towards how it would look tomorrow, not just today. He loved being outdoors whether it be fishing, hunting, chopping wood, or just walking. His family takes comfort in knowing he passed away in his favorite environment doing something he loved. He leaves behind a legacy of a ‘can do’ attitude and instilled in his family a boundless curiosity and love of knowledge. The family is planning a memorial service and friends and family may contact them at service.dmlong@gmail.com for details. The burial will be private. For those wishing to give a memorial in his name, charities meaningful to Donlin included: The Donlin Long Resident Educational Fund at the Johns Hopkins Department of Neurosurgery; The Carson Scholars Fund; St. John’s College (Annapolis); The Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries; and Trout Unlimited.

Dr. Donlin Martin Long

April 14, 1934 - September 19, 2023