Lt. Col. Ret. Louis E. Longanacre was a member of the Class of 1952, graduating from the Jr. College program. As part of his military career, he returned to GMS as PMS&T at the time the school withdrew the ROTC program. Louis, Col Thomas C. McGuire and John Moore oversaw the changes in the military program which operated under the direction of Col McGuire till the School closed in 1972

LEWISBURG — Lt. Col. Retired Louis E. Longanacre, 83, of Lewisburg, died Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at The Brier following an extended illness.

Born Aug. 22, 1930, at Sinks Grove, W.Va., he was the son of the late Delmer and Kate Blake Longanacre.

He was a graduate of Greenbrier High School, Greenbrier Military School and West Virginia University with a BS degree in Agriculture. He served 28 years in the U.S. Army. Overseas assignments included Germany, Korea, Panama Canal Zone and two tours in Vietnam. His awards and decorations included Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Award, Bronze Star, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Army General Staff Identification Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Armed Forces Campaign Medal, Vietnam Armed Forces Medal of Honor and the Korean IN HUN Medal for combat. He served 20 years as Greenbrier County magistrate. He was active in the American Red Cross, Lewisburg Lions Club, Maxwelton Ruritan Club and served on the Advisory Board at the Brier Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He was a member of the Lewisburg United Methodist Church.

He was preceded in death by a brother, James.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Vivian M. Longanacre of Lewisburg; a son, Edwin (Maureen) Longanacre of El Paso, Texas; a daughter, Charlotte Longanacre and companion, Larry Thrasher of Sinks Grove; brothers, John (Becky) Longanacre of Fort Springs, Paul (Linda) Longanacre of Sinks Grove and Sam (Becky) Longanacre of Belpre, Ohio; sisters, Norma Jean Wolford of Wytheville, Va., Joyce (Pat) Stokes of Monet, Va., Eloise (Larry) Vass of Monet, Va. and Ruth Ann (Don) Assaid of Roanoke, Va.; grandsons, Benjamin (Sarah) of Lake City, Fla. and Michael of Lafayette, La.; great-grandsons, Trevor and Cayson; and many nieces and nephews and his devoted dogs, Ashley and Ebony.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 5, 2014, at McCraw Funeral Home in Lewisburg with the Rev. Rick Brown and Doug Fisk and Lynn Randolph officiating, with burial following at Sinks Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with full military honors.

Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Wes Hylton, Perry Pauley, Roy Bowden, Brian Carter, Mike Dolan and Jim Reynolds. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Lewisburg Lions Club and the Maxwelton Ruritan Club.

Arrangements by McCraw Funeral Home, Lewisburg.