Mary Audrien Longenecker Henry

Born March 31, 1915 Waterside, Pa.
Died August 13, 2003 Farmington Hills, Mi.

"Audie" Longenecker and her three older brothers (Frank Wilbur, George Glenn and Charles Rea) were born to Charles Latshaw Longenecker and his wife, the former Mary Elizabeth Imler, on the family farm in Waterside. Shortly after Audie's birth, Charles was elected county treasurer and moved the family to 122 South Richard St., in Bedford. 

Audie attended Bedford High School and West Chester State Teachers College, where she met Les Henry, of Ridley Park, Pa. They married on Christmas Day, 1939, in Bedford's St. John's Reformed Church and settled in the Philadelphia suburb of Havertown. Both worked for the Atlantic Refining Company.

Following World War II, they became more involved in their hobby of restoring antique cars. Les developed into a noted automotive historian and authority. This led to his appointment as Curator of Transportation at the Henry Ford Museum, in Dearborn, Michigan and a family move to Belleville, Michigan. There, Audie became a guidance counselor for the Livonia school district. In the course of traveling on museum business, Audie and Les developed a love for travel that would last the rest of their lives and created worldwide friendships.

Upon retiring in 1977, Audie and Les traveled in earnest. An Airstream trailer and ocean cruising were their preferred venues. More often than not, their adventures were specifically planned around antique car activities and/or included companions from antique car clubs.

Late In 2002, Les succumbed to cancer. Audie remained active and in good health until July of 2003, when respiratory problems triggered a rapid decline. Her son, Charlie, and daughter-in-law, Linda, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, were with her when she quietly passed on the evening of August 13, 2003. She is also survived by granddaughter Shelby, niece Gail Longenecker Lowe (daughter of Glenn), of Chaska, Minnesota and her childhood friend, Ruth Brice, of Martinsburg, Pennsylvania. Her ashes were buried in the family plot, next to her husband, in Belleville, Michigan.

Those who knew them, even slightly, will understand that Audie and Les have not truly left. They are just away on an extended antique auto tour with all their old friends.

Charlie Henry
25817 Ridgewood Dr.
Farmington Hills, Mi. 48336
248-476-1668 home
248-476-0191 fax
cmhenry@arounddetroit.biz

The Henry and Lowe families welcome anecdotal and genealogical information on these related family names: Longenecker, Latshaw, Imler, Murdock, Weimer, Detrick, Nissly, Meyers.

Contributed for use by the Bedford County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/~bedford/)

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