Tim Long

Tim, T. J. as he was known to friends and customers in the business that he established as his life’s work in Winchester, Tennessee. He was born in Sewanee, Tennessee.  Tim graduated from Franklin County High School in 1969 and moved to Atlanta to work at Thermo Materials. After marrying his high school sweetheart, Brenda Sue Boswell, the birth of his son, Troy Long, and work at General Tire Company in Sandy Springs (where he was the youngest store manager), Tim moved back to Winchester with his family in 1981.  After returning to Winchester, Tim worked with his father-in-law Lloyd Boswell at Lloyd Boswell Construction and then Frito Lay Inc. as a salesman for 6 years.  He worked at various vocations before settling into ownership of TJ’s Liquor and Wine for 27 years.  He died in his store where he loved April 2015.  He had a headache and sat down behind the cash register and died.  His happiest days where spent at the store. Tim never took a vacation from the store and worked six days a week, many times without taking a break to even eat.  He loved his customers.  His father, Arthur Long had owned Long’s General Store in Sewanee.

Tim had the gift of gab which made him a perfect fit for his work.  He loved people and the community of Winchester and Franklin County.  The contribution he made to the families in this area is twofold. He spearheaded and almost singlehandedly established Dry Creek Beach for public use by anyone.  Tim didn’t care about recognition for his service to his community.  All he wanted was to see that everyone could enjoy the lake.  He worked tirelessly for years before the beach was realized. TERDA members Charles Sons and Hank Martin were instrumental in the approval process for the beach. Tim was not an engineer, yet he deduced the site for the beach.  Tim would take his daughter Kelly Long Master to pick up trash along Tims Ford Lake. Tim lost a plastic shoe while swimming in the lake, he found his plastic show has washed to the area now called Dry Creek Beach.  The shoe showed him that the sand would not wash away in that location.  Tim commissioned Katherine Anderson, the high school art teacher, to do a rendering of his vision for the beach and an amphitheater.  Tim, being a member of the Franklin County Jaycees inspired them to become involved with his beach project (the only beach Franklin County has had recently been closed at Woods Reservoir).  After permission was granted to build the beach, Tim Long and the Franklin County Jaycees built the beach on the shoreline in Winchester on Highway 50.  Sand was donated from Sequatchie Concrete to build beach and volleyball court.  Trees were donated by Tennessee State Senator Jerry Cooper and George Smartt, who were members of the Jaycees in McMinnville.  His son Troy Long and Cheyne Stewart planted the trees. Franklin County Recreation Committee took on the task of maintaining the beach and still continue to do so today.  The site for the beach was only part of the plan that Tim had for the property that extended along the lake’s edge to where Twin Creek development is now.  His original concept included an amphitheater and a boat dock to be built for public use further down the lake’s shoreline from Dry Creek beach Tim was honored by the Tennessee Jaycees when he was installed as a Tennessee Senator and a Tennessee Colonel.  A few years before his death, Tim had begun the process of requesting a beach for the City of Estill Springs on Tims Ford Lake.

Tim and his wife donated land in downtown Winchester to build a park beside the Masonic Lodge.  Cheyne Stewart, Mayor of the Winchester Youth Council and the Kiwanis Club of Franklin County built the park and everything was donated, stage concrete, sod, tables, benches, lighting, trash receptacles and landscaping.  Brenda chaired Summer Music Series Concert and he thought it would be a great idea to bring music downtown

Tim implemented the Junior Pro Senior Basketball League.  He also coached Pee Wee Football, Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball.  He was a die-hard fan of the Tennessee Volunteers and Tennessee Titans and the Atlanta Braves.

Tim had a huge heart and was always willing to help others.  His family and friends used to call some of the people Tim help his adopted sons.  One man was homeless and Tim brought him home with him and let him live in their garage until he could get on his feet.  Another man, Hawk, he took under his wing was totally dependent upon him for survival, down to Tim managing his money and activities daily.  Hawk was a veteran from the Vietnam War and he wanted to make sure that he was stable since he suffered from the war.

Tim was a huge advocate for Buying American since he was a business owner, and specifically he believed in buying local and supporting local businesses.  When his wife would come home, he would check to see where it was made.  If it was made in China, Brenda would bring it in the house when Tim was not at home so she would not have to hear the speech.  He loved to shop locally at Hammers Department Store, but would even check the label there.

Tim would take his youngest daughter to school everyone and quiz the entire way.  The year she was learning multiplication tables, Kayla Long, his youngest daughter, knew she was entering the quiz bowl area and her dad would ask her multiplication questions all the way to school every day that year.  Tim thought math was very important for every student to be proficient and succeed in life.

Tim’s favorite movies were Rudy and Field of Dreams.  The preserving underdog and less talented hero of Rudy, and the dreamer of dreams who built a baseball field in the middle of a corn field typify what was dear to his heart.  He knew that physical activities for families in both competitive sports for their children and outside in nature were activities important to a well-rounded life.  These were aspects inherent in his life growing up in Sewanee. 

The community and family miss an unsung hero and advocate for all things, “Made in America.”  Timothy James Long   

Top 10 Traits That Will Help Take You To The Top!

By T. J. Long

1. Hard Steady Work-=Without effort, little else matters!  Lazy people are not successful!
2. Optimism—Leaders always take the positive view, even when the going is rough!
3. Enthusiasm—It fuels creative, innovative action.  It generates the desire to HUSTLE and the ‘GET THE JOB DONE ATTITUDE’!
4. Individualism—Every leader is a highly distinctive individual and sets GOALS to strive.
5. Imagination—Leaders have the capacity to visualize the results they want—the ability to “Dream the Dream”—It fuels the desire to succeed—to get ahead!
6. Positive, Friendly Attitude—Successful people are encouraging coaches—they have the ability to get along with people, to be both fair and firm!
7. Listenability—Possess the skill to ask intelligent questions—ten sit back and listen with great concentration and patience.
8. Trust—Possession of a high MTRC factor—mutual trust, respect, and confidence in your fellow man.
9. Flexibility—The capacity to be strong, yet flexible, open and adaptable to changing conditions.
10. Judgement—Leaders must have the ability to balance the facts, listen to both sides, then make sound, rations decisions!