Dorothy Martin Long

Everett suffered a major loss in 2020 with the unexpected death of Dorothy Martin Long, a community trailblazer, selfless volunteer, and indelible part of the community. Dot, as she was fondly known to family and friends, liked to tell anyone who was struggling that "All it takes is all you've got." Indeed, those were words she not only said but lived by.

“The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Dottie Long is strength,” her pastor, Wayne Gadie, of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Malden, told the Everett Independent in August. “She was a strong woman in every sense – physically, spiritually, intellectually, socially and politically … I guess she was kind of like a rock star and celebrity in Everett for doing good and making a difference in people’s lives.”

A member of the Everett School Committee in the 1980s, Dot was genuinely passionate about volunteer work and contributing to her community. She served on the Board of Directors for the Devens School, the Malden YMCA, and the Mystic Valley Elder Services. She was an Election Warden for the City of Everett. She served with distinction on the City’s Diversity and Equity Task Force.

In 2009, she was elected Commissioner to the Everett Charter Commission, leading a team effort to modernize and rewrite the City's constitution. 

In 2016 Dot was recognized for her years of community service and activism and was presented with City Council Citation. In 2018 she was honored at Gillette Stadium as a "Patriots Difference Maker" for her volunteer commitment to Housing Families, Inc., where she dedicated 16 years tutoring homeless children.

More recently, Ms. Long served as a member of the Superintendent Search Committee in 2019, which was overseen by longtime School Committee member Thomas Abruzzese.

In 2019, Ms. Long helped run a very successful voter registration effort at Everett High School, in which dozens of students took advantage of the chance to participate in the political process that devoted so much of her life to.

Born in Everett on October 31, 1939 — one of nine children of the late Jerry and Lucy Martin — Dot was a lifelong resident of Everett. She graduated from Everett High School and the Malden School of Business.  She was accredited in American Sign Language by Boston University. Dot worked at H&R Block for 30 years, retiring as a District Manager. She was a lifelong member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Malden, where she served on the Finance Board, Building Council, taught Sunday School, and volunteered at the church food pantry. She also was an original member of the North Shore Black Women's Association. 

Dot was the beloved wife of the late Walter H. Long Sr. She is survived by countless loving friends and family, including her sons, Walter Jr. and Jonathan, and her grandchildren, Christopher, Andre' and Devin.