Family Farm

JAN. 22, 1932-MAY 29, 2009 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- John Alvey Long Jr. was born Jan. 22, 1932, in Hagerstown, Md. He was the only son of Lana Chaney Long and John Alvey Long Sr. He was raised in Hagerstown, and rose through the Boy Scout ranks all the way to become an Eagle Scout. Although he lived in the family residence at 1004 The Terrace, he spent a great deal of time at the family farm, Hagers-Long Hickory, in Blue Ridge Summit, Pa., and spent winters in Lakeland, Fla. He went to Stony Brook Preparatory School in Stony Brook, Long Island, N.Y. He was the manager for the track team and friend to Dr. Frank Gabelein (headmaster)

Editor's note: Each Sunday, The Herald-Mail publishes "A Life Remembered. " This continuing series takes a look back -- through the eyes of family, friends, co-workers and others -- at a member of the community who died recently. Today's "A Life Remembered" is about Frances Virginia Ahalt, who died May 22 at the age of 98. Her obituary was published in the May 26 edition of The Herald-Mail. On the surface, Frances Virginia Ahalt's life might have seemed a little ordinary and unremarkable.

JAN. 24, 1961-APRIL 28, 2009 CLEAR SPRING - John Lester Worthington III, 48, of Independence Road in Clear Spring, Md., went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, surrounded by his loving family and friends after a long illness of heart disease. He was born Jan. 24, 1961, in Cheverly, Md., to the late John L. Worthington Jr. and Alice V. King Worthington. He was preceded in death by his nephew, Austin Wayne Stewart of Clear Spring.

Mrs. Lugenia Harp Horine Smith, 93 FEB. 1, 1916-APRIL 3, 2009 FREDERICK, Md. - Lugenia Harp Horine Smith, 93, of Frederick, Md., passed away on Friday, April 3, 2009, at Heartfields of Frederick. Mrs. Smith was the wife of Galen Clark Smith, who died in 1985. Born on the family farm in Myersville, Md. on Feb. 1, 1916, she was the daughter of Lugenia Mae Harp Horine and John Henry Horine. She graduated from Middletown High School in 1933 and was a faithful member of the Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Myersville, where she served as piano accompanist to the Sunday school for many years.

SEPT. 27, 1920-MARCH 18, 2009 FAYETTEVILLE, Pa. - Isabelle N. Lininger Stahl, 88, a resident of The Village Of Laurel Run, and formerly of 12591 Gearhart Road in Greencastle, Pa., died Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at the nursing home. Born Sept. 27, 1920 in Fort Loudon, Pa., she was the daughter of the late William and Clara Gift Lininger. She was a homemaker and helped her husband operating the family farm. She was a member of Hollowell Brethren in Christ Church near Waynesboro, where she served on the sewing circle.

MAY 29, 1929-MARCH 11, 2009 CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Betty E. Sollenberger, 79, who had been living with her daughter and son-in-law, Mary Alice and James Eaton of 4625 Railroad Road, and formerly of 3583 Buchanan Trail West, Greencastle, Pa., died Wednesday March 11, 2009, at her home. Born May 29, 1929, in Chambersburg, she was the daughter of the late Edgar Bruce and Mary Jones Rupert. Her husband, Roy L. Sollenberger, died May 29, 2006. They were married Nov. 18, 1949.

Clarence Upton Bittle, 85 JUNE 25, 1923-FEB. 26, 2009 MYERSVILLE, Md. - Clarence Upton Bittle, 85, of Myersville, died Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009, at the Washington County Hospital surrounded by his family. He was born June 25, 1923, in the farmhouse where he grew up near Myersville and was the son of the late Silas and Daisy Grossnickle Bittle. Clarence is survived by his wife of 64 years, E. Elizabeth Rice Bittle and his four children, Patricia Mose and husband Jerry of Hagerstown; Rachel Black of Hagerstown; David Bittle and wife Susan of Hagerstown and Debbie Bittle-Wilson and husband Robert of Myersville; eight grandchildren, Seth Mose, Shalom Black Lane, Sarah Black Ickes, Jordan Bittle, Asher Bittle, Abigail Bittle Griffith, Caleb Wilson and Jacob Wilson; four great-grandhildren, Judah Ickes, Lydia Ickes, Blake Bittle and Darby Bittle.

Mae E. Shank, 92 JAN. 21, 1917-FEB. 7, 2009 CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Mae Elizabeth Lehman Shank, 92, of Menno Haven, died Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. Born Jan. 21, 1917, in Franklin County, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Peter and Alice Frey Lehman. She was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn H. Shank, in 2006. She and her husband operated a family farm. She was a member of Cedar Street Mennonite Church, where she had been active with the Ladies Sewing Circle.

JULY 25, 1925-FEB. 2, 2009 BOONSBORO - Ralph Leon Jones, 83, of Amos Reeder Road, Boonsboro, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, Feb. 2, 2009, at Reeders Memorial Home in Boonsboro. Born July 25, 1925, at Zittlestown, Ralph was a son of the late Luther Martin and Mary Etta Long Jones. He had attended Park Hall School. Ralph had helped farm his family farm and was then employed by R.F. Kline in Frederick, Md. He retired in 1992 as a custodian at Boonsboro High School.

JAN. 6, 1921-JAN. 17, 2009 MERCERSBURG, Pa. - Jane I. Funk, 88, of Welsh Run Road, died Saturday, Jan. 17, 2009, at ManorCare Health Services, Chambersburg, Pa. Born Jan. 6, 1921, in Little Cove, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Clarence Alfred and Edith Cook Weller. She assisted her husband in the operation of the family farm known as Twin Rock Farm of Mercersburg. She was a member of Mount Zion Lutheran Church of the Little Cove. She is survived by her husband, Wallace L. "Bucky" Funk, whom she married Aug. 12, 1938; two sons, Ronald L. Funk and Harold G. Funk, both of Mercersburg; six grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.