Mr. Billy Joe Delong

Billy Joe DeLong, 48, of Lyons, passed away on Monday, November 1, 2021 in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township. He was the loving husband of Christine J. (Hartman) DeLong, whom he married on October 9, 1993.

Born in Allentown, Billy was a son of Carol A. (Kerchner) DeLong, of Lyons, and the late William C. DeLong, who died February 3, 2001. He grew up in Kutztown and attended Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bowers with his family. He was a 1991 graduate of Kutztown Area High School where he was a talented baseball player and a member of the baseball team. Billy attended vocational school with a focus in Electro-Mechanical Technology. He was employed by East Penn Manufacturing Co., Inc., Lyons, for over 26 years, working on the finish line in the Industrial Building.

Billy enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading, and building model cars. He could also be found listening to his favorite music: heavy metal. Billy will certainly be remembered for his unique and silly sense of humor, enormous heart of gold, and willingness to help and care for anyone that he could. Not only was he a father to his daughter April, but he also served as a "Dad" to all of her friends, who adored him.

In addition to his wife of 28 years, Chris, and mother, Carol; Billy is survived by the other love of his life, his daughter, April M. DeLong, of Lyons, and her boyfriend, Jack Wynn; sister, Lori Ann (DeLong), wife of Michael George, Lyons; mother-in-law, Patricia E. (Snyder) Hartman, Kutztown; father-in-law, Larry W. Hartman, Klinesville; aunts and uncles, Aunt Janie A. DeLong, Lisa M. (DeLong), wife of Randy L. Oswald, Michael E., husband of Sandy DeLong, Susan L. (DeLong), wife of Willard "Brainy" Brensinger, and Brenda M. "Bonnie" (Kerchner), wife of Donald G. Batz; and their families.

The family will host a memorial service in the near future. Please check his obituary page on www.Ludwickfh.com or the funeral home Facebook Page for any updates.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in Billy's memory to The Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute (RMTI) at Mount Sinai Hospital c/o Office of Development, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1049, New York, NY 10029 or online at https://giving.mountsinai.org to support the wonderful hospital and doctors that gave Billy a second chance at life.

Ludwick Funeral Homes, Inc., Kutztown is in charge of arrangements. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.Ludwickfh.com.