Obituary of Lucinda Parshall Long

Lucinda (Cindy) Parshall Long, age 71, passed way on November 25, 2018.  Daughter of the late Sarah and George Richard Long of Salisbury, MD, mother of Joseph Geschlecht of West Orange, NJ, renowned lawyer and devoted educator.

A memorial will be held on Friday, December 7th at 4pm at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, 67 Church St. Montclair, NJ with a repast to follow.

A native of Salisbury, MD, Lucinda earned a BA from Mary Washington College in Fredricksburg, VA, a MA and PhD from Johns Hopkins University.  Lucinda began her career as a university professor, becoming the first woman to join the political science faculty at Montclair State University.  Many years later, she returned to teaching part-time while still working in the private sector.

Lucinda attended Rutgers Law School, Newark, where she was an editor of the Rutgers Law Review and earned her JD with honors.  She began her legal career at NJ firm Lowenstein Sandler, where she also instigated the establishment of the company’s first parental leave, part-time, and on-premises childcare programs.

In 1991, Lucinda joined Valley National Bank as their first general counsel and first woman vice president.  Over 25 years at Valley, she oversaw all aspects of the bank’s legal operations as it grew from a small community bank into a major financial institution with over $24 billion in assets.  She was especially proud of the legal internship program she established for aspiring law students.

Lucinda was an important presence in the NJ legal community, serving in leadership capacities in many organizations, including:  the NJ Bar Association, the NJ Corporate Counsel Association, NJ Bankers Association, and the NJ Supreme Court Fee Arbitration Committee.  She was recognized for her service with numerous awards, including: the NJ Women Lawyers Association Platinum Award, the Rutgers Law School Distinguished Alumna Award, and the Partners for Women and Justice Hope Award.

Lucinda’s commitment to justice was obvious from a young age, when she gave a fiery speech to her all-white high school and decried the injustice of segregation still in practice there.  She continued to be a champion of civil rights and women’s rights throughout her career as an educator and lawyer, with a particular interest in the advancement of young women and working mothers in law and business.

Lucinda loved singing, art, and debating politics.  Her gregariousness, optimism, resilience were a gift and an inspiration to anyone who knew her.

She is survived by her son, Joseph Geschlecht.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund https://curealz.org/outreach/in-memory/lucinda-parshall-long/ or the Girl Scouts of America https://www.girlscouts.org/en/adults/donate.html