Dr. Howard C. Long

Dr. Howard C. Long, 98, formerly of Carlisle, passed away Sunday, July 16, at The Nottingham retirement community in Syracuse, N.Y.
Born in Seisholtzville, Pa., he was the son of Howard William Long and Isabella Reese Long. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Northwestern University and a Ph.D. in physics from Ohio State University. He interrupted his doctoral studies during World War II to serve with the U.S. Navy as a physicist at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory, Silver Spring, Md., where he helped develop mines for protecting U.S. troops in the Pacific.
After the war, he pursued a 35-year career as a professor of physics, teaching at Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, Pa.; American University, Washington, DC; Gettysburg College; and, from 1959 until his retirement in 1981, at Dickinson College, where he served multiple terms as chair of the Physics Department. During his tenure at Dickinson, he received the Joseph Priestley Chair of Natural Philosophy and the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. He was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Pi Sigma honor societies and held leadership positions with several professional associations, including the American Association of University Professors and American Association of Physics Teachers. He is listed in Who’s Who in America (1976) and was named Outstanding Educator of America (1974-75).
He was a long-time active member of Allison United Methodist Church and 50-year member of Carlisle Rotary; and he volunteered with Samaritan Fellowship, Carlisle Hospital, Bosler Library, Carlisle Opportunity Homes, and Cumberland Senior Housing. In 1993, he received the Carlisle Exchange Club’s Community Service Award and was honored by The Sentinel as one of Carlisle Area’s Finest. He and his wife, Frances, were joint recipients of the Blanche and Henry Yeagley Good Samaritan Award, and in 2008, he received a CABBIE award from the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania for his 1970s research on air quality in Carlisle.
He is survived by a daughter, Carol (and husband, Tom) Boll, of Syracuse, NY; a son, Howard Jr., of Hollister, CA.; four grandchildren, Bethany Boll, Jonathan Boll, Rachel Boll, and Brennan Frazier; a sister, Miriam (and husband, Jack) Ferlino, Zionsville, Pa.; a brother, Emory (and wife, Eleanor), Emmaus, Pa.; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Frances; a son, David W. Long; two sisters, Reah Long and Beatrice Long, and two brothers, Lloyd Long and Warren Long.
A service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 4, at Carlisle United Methodist Church, 45 S. West St., Carlisle, PA with the Rev. Mira Hewlett officiating. Burial will be at Westminster Memorial Gardens, Carlisle.
Hoffman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2020 W. Trindle Road, Carlisle, is handling the arrangements. To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com
Memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan Fellowship nonprofit ministry, Carlisle; or to the David W. Long Memorial Scholarship Fund at Dickinson College.