March 31, 1931 – December 22, 2021
Rebecca Ann (Mauk) DeLong, Carmel, went to be with her Lord and Savior on December 22, 2021, at the age of 90. Born on March 31, 1931, in Grand Rapids, Mich., she was the fifth child of Beatrice (Dick) Mauk and Ralph A. Mauk, Sr. While attending Grand Rapids Junior College, she met and married Robert J. DeLong, with whom she had three daughters. The family moved to Carmel in 1964.
Rebecca returned to college, earning her BA in Psychology from Indiana University (IUPUI) at age 40. Twenty-five years later she graduated with her Juris Doctor (JD) degree from IU School of Law (Indianapolis), with an emphasis on constitutional law.
During her undergraduate years, she volunteered at a psychiatric hospital, tutored first-grade students in math and reading, and assisted in the annual Caulk of the Town event, weatherizing homes for low-income families. In the mid-1970s, Rebecca served as Activity/Social Services Director for a long-term health care facility. She became one of the first people in the state to be certified in Reality Orientation, a program designed to improve cognitive and psychomotor function in people who are confused or disoriented.
In 1979, Rebecca went to work for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Indiana, where she served on a team conducting Medicaid compliance audits of nursing homes throughout the state. In 1988, she was promoted to Healthwatch Liaison for all aspects of a federally mandated well-child program.
Rebecca was proud of her parental, educational and professional achievements. But her greatest joy was her relationship with God through His son, Jesus Christ. She faithfully passed on her beliefs to her daughters and sons-in-law, as well as to countless others who, to this day, talk about ways in which she blessed them with her wisdom, understanding and fervent prayers. She once wrote to her children, “The most powerful words ever spoken are ‘Your sins are forgiven’. They are the foundation of life itself – the containment of all wholeness, all healing, all contentment, all that is good in human relationships.”
In addition to her parents, Rebecca was preceded in death by four siblings, two nephews, and her son-in-law, Jim Wiley.
Survivors include her daughters, Ellen (Don) Douglass, Bo DeLong (Phil) Cotty, and Valery DeLong (Daniel Russell); many nieces and nephews; and sister-in-law, Fran DeLong.
A Visitation will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at Bussell Family Funerals, 1521 E. Greyhound Pass, Carmel. A family Committal Service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Rebecca can be sent to Wheeler Mission, 2730 Madison Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46225.
Bussell Family Funerals is privileged to assist the family in arrangements.
Condolences: bussellfamilyfunerals.com