Barbara Rutt Longenecker, 91, passed away on December 4, 2025, at Landis Homes in Lititz, PA. She was the daughter of the late Clarence H. Rutt and Elva Sauder Rutt. She was the fourth of seven children. She leaves behind her sister Mary and brother Carl, and was preceded in death by Glenn, Clarence, John and Joyce.

She was born and raised in New Holland, where she also lived most of her adult life.

She graduated from Lancaster Mennonite School in 1952 and graduated from Lancaster General Hospital School of Nursing with an R.N. in 1955. After nursing school, she worked as an operating room nurse. Later she applied her nursing arts as a school nurse, children’s camp nurse, elder care nurse and hospice nurse.

In 1956 she was married to Charles Brubaker Longenecker (deceased), her husband of 67 years.

She was a full-time homemaker for years, raising 4 children.

She was a longtime member of New Holland Mennonite Church, where she taught children’s Sunday school for many years.

One of her greatest joys was being together with her family. Many of her family emails were signed “I hope events take place in your lives that give you HOPE and JOY!” She was her family’s biggest fan but loved them unconditionally, valuing their wellbeing and relationships more than their accomplishments. She was an avid scrapbook maker, preserving family history in scrapbooks for each child and grandchild.

During a sabbatical year she traveled across the western U.S. and volunteered for Ten Thousand Villages and as a host at the Petrified Forest National Park. Later she returned to the southwest as a volunteer with the SOOP program.

Along with husband Charles she hosted young people from Philippines, Honduras, Germany and Mexico in their home.

While living at Landis Homes Retirement Community, she enjoyed close friendships, assisted people in nursing care, and participated in the Grandpals program and in Lifelong Learning classes.

She is cherished as a deeply loving, kind and cheerful person who brightened the lives of many.

She will be missed by her daughter Jo (partner Lauri Beckstead, deceased), and sons Fred (married to Lydia Knutson), Kenton (married to Shelly Mann) and Lynn (married to Laurie Eshleman), by grandchildren Caleb (married to Kristina Fox), Philip (married to Maria Watson), Isaac, Nathan (deceased), Maria and Jesse, and by great-grandchild Gloria.

A memorial service will be held on December 20th at 2pm in the Landis chapel (West Bethany) at Landis Homes, 1001 East Oregon Road, Lititz, PA. Gifts in her honor can be made to the New Holland Early Learning Center (creatingcommunityforkids.com) or to Mennonite Central Committee (mcc.org)

Arrangements have been entrusted to Groff-High Funeral Home, New Holland.