Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Richard C. Longfellow, 88, of Point Marion, Pa., passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, March 5, 2023, at the J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. Born in Port Gamble, Wash., on Dec. 12, 1934, he was a son of the late Jacob and Mamie (Hoover) Longfellow.
Richard served in the Naval Air Reserve during the Korean Conflict.
He was involved with the ministry of Jesus Christ for years, beginning with American Sunday School Union (later renamed American Missionary Fellowship), planting churches in eight counties in Southwest Washington. He left AMF to form Mission Church Fellowship, continuing his church planting ministry and leading summer youth camps. MCF evolved into a homeschooling ministry, Homeschoolers Outdoor Education, offering weeklong subject matter camps that drew families from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. He also was an ordained minister with the Presbyterian Church in America, filling pulpits in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
He was a skilled master carpenter and could build or fix just about anything. After retirement from full-time ministry, he continued offering pulpit supply and took on such jobs as limousine driver and engraver in a trophy shop.
In 2001, he and his wife, Sally, moved to Point Marion, Pa., where he often filled PCA pulpits in West Virginia and Pennsylvania and went to work as a handyman for a local attorney. He continued working right up to the days before his passing.
Surviving are his wife, Sally (Ross) Longfellow; three children and spouses, Kenneth Longfellow (Kathy), of Bellevue, Wash.; Constance “Connie” Spinelli (Joseph), of Bozeman, Mont., and Diane Beard (David), of Morgantown; 10 grandchildren, Adam, Isaac, Jacob, Jedidiah, Jonathan, Nathan, Ruth, Sarah, Tabitha and Zechariah; six great-grandchildren; and brother, Raymond, of Arlington, Wash.
He was also preceded in death by his sister, Mary Malkus and brother, Donald.
Private graveside services for his family were held at the Cedar Grove Cemetery, New Geneva, Pa., with Pastor Keith Larson officiating. A memorial service is set to be held at Green Valley Presbyterian Church, Carmichaels, Pa., at 11 a.m. on March 18.
Arrangements are in the care of the Richard R. Herod Funeral Home, Point Marion, Pa.
Condolences:
www.herod-rishel.com
