Kenneth A. Longacre, 75, of Franconia, an entrepreneur and longtime supporter of EMU, died of pancreatic cancer on May 6, 2009, at Grand View Hospital in Sellersville, Pa.
Longacre served on EMU’s board of trustees from 1987 to 1991, and then again from 1995 to 2000. He and wife, Cora W. Detweiler, co-chaired the University Commons Campaign in the 1990s. Their efforts, which included making the second-largest gift to the project, generated nearly $10 million for a state-of-the-art indoor athletic facility and student center.
According to an obituary in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Ken Longacre’s business acumen can be traced to his father, Horace, and an 84-acre farm that he bought near Quakertown in 1944. “Horace purchased a used truck, and began selling eggs and vegetables and then added dressed hens. The enterprise evolved into a very large poultry business,” said the Inquirer.
“Ken dropped out of high school to work in the family business, and in 1975 his father put him in charge of the poultry manufacturing division, Horace W. Longacre Inc.,” said the Inquirer.
Mr. Longacre’s brother, Henry, headed the retail division, Longacre Poultry Markets Inc., which operated 10 stores in the Philadelphia area. Combined, the two divisions had at their height more than 700 employees. The divisions merged with Wampler Foods in 1984, and the Longacres sold their interest in 1992.
In 1990, Ken bought Farm & Home Oil Co. In 1998, Ken became company chairman and his son, Rich, became chief executive officer. The firm sold heating oil, propane and other fuels, installed and serviced air-conditioning and heating systems, and operated eight convenience stores and service stations from Levittown to Williamsport.
The Inquirer reported, “After Farm & Home was sold in 2008, Ken Longacre purchased Alderfer Premium Meats in Harleysville, which merged months later with Leidy’s Inc. to become ALL Inc., a provider of pork products, said son Kenneth Jr.”
In addition to serving on the EMU board, Ken supported Mennonite education by serving on the board of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School in Lansdale, Pa., and encouraging his children and grandchildren to attend EMU. Son Rich, daughter Donna, and daughter Beth all came to EMU for at least a year, as did granddaughter Ginger and grandson Quincy.
Ken Longacre is survived by his wife of 55 years, brother, two daughters and two sons, plus 14 grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren. He was predeceased by another son, Rodney.
As Crossroads was going to press, news came of the passing of Ken’s 97-year-old father, Horace W. Longacre. Horace will be forever remembered an appreciated at EMU as a result of the Horace W. and Elizabeth G. Longacre Endowed Business Scholarship Fund, which Horace and his late wife established in 1988 to support worthy, aspiring entrepreneurs.
EMU president Loren Swartzendruber offered words of appreciation at Ken’s memorial service, which was held at Swamp Mennonite Church in Quakertown on May 11, 2009.