Irene (Ruby) Haldas Long, age 91, of Wilmington, Delaware, and North Wildwood, New Jersey, passed away on August 9, 2026, at Cooper University Hospital Cape Regional, with her family by her side. She was the daughter of the late Michael and Pauline Haldas.
Irene grew up on 37th Street in Wilmington in a house that was always open to friends. She was a 1954 graduate of P.S. duPont High School, later earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware, and earned a master’s degree in secondary education from Widener University. It was during her high school years that she met Harold “Dynamite” Long, who would become her husband of 66 years.
The two were married while Harold was home on Army furlough. Irene joined him in Karlsruhe, Germany, where they spent their first year of marriage and where she taught English on the Army base. When they returned home, Irene began a career that would define much of her life. She taught English for more than forty years, first at Conrad High School and later at McKean High School, where she became chairwoman of the English department. In 1997, after 28 years in the classroom, she was selected as the Red Clay Consolidated School District’s Teacher of the Year and nominee for Delaware’s Teacher of the Year.
A newspaper profile that year described Irene as a teacher who combined the enthusiasm of a rookie with the knowledge and self-assurance of a veteran, and who knew how to engage students and earn their respect. Irene herself said the greatest reward was watching students get excited about the material, transfer their knowledge, and make connections. For her, that awakening was the joy of teaching. She was an English teacher’s English teacher, known for her exacting standards, her love of literature, her emphasis on writing, and her remarkable ability to locate a lesson plan, article, or paper from decades earlier within minutes. Books filled every room of her home, and learning remained a lifelong pursuit.
Irene was deeply proud of her Greek heritage and her family’s Wilmington roots. She often spoke of her father, Michael Haldas, who came to America from Greece and, together with his family, built Haldas Bros. Meat Market at Fifth and King Streets. A lifelong member of the Greek Orthodox Church, she never stopped learning and, in recent years, enjoyed taking Greek classes with her beloved cousin Suzanne. Even in her nineties, she could be found practicing Greek or embracing new technology, including conversations in Greek with artificial intelligence.
Nothing brought Irene more joy than her family. Summers in North Wildwood became a treasured tradition, with children, grandchildren, and friends gathering at the beach house year after year. She took pride in her gardens, especially her sunflowers, gardenias, and marigolds. She was known for her baklava, making frequent trips to Vineland to buy the ingredients. At home in Wilmington, she loved the house Harold built and the neighbors who had become lifelong friends.
For her family, Irene was also the final authority on grammar. Homework assignments, college papers, business letters, and important documents frequently found their way to her for review. In her final days in the hospital, she was still talking about writing. She and her son discussed the structure of a sentence and her preference for the careful use of a series. We confess to being a little nervous about writing this obituary, knowing that if Mom were reading it, it would almost certainly come back covered in red ink. She never returned anything that wasn’t improved.
Irene was predeceased by her beloved husband, Harold E. Long, Jr., and by her brother, George Haldas. She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Minchini (Alan); her son, Michael Long (Annmarie); and her four grandchildren, Nick Minchini, Trevor Long, Connor Long, and Parker Long.
Her family will remember her for her intelligence, curiosity, devotion to education, pride in her Greek heritage, unwavering love of family, and the countless lessons she taught both inside and outside the classroom. Her life’s story was written over ninety-one remarkable years. Like all good teachers, her lessons will continue long after she is gone.
Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at McCrery and Harra Funeral Home, 3710 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, Delaware. Another viewing will be held from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at the Funeral Home followed by a brief service at 11:00 AM and a luncheon at the family home.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through Delaware Libraries, a cause that reflects Irene’s lifelong love of reading and education. Donations may be made through the Delaware Libraries Support Page, helping to provide free books to young children throughout Delaware.
The family extends its gratitude to the many friends, neighbors, caregivers, and relatives who enriched Irene’s life and supported her in her final years.
