Born into Philadelphia’s Main Line, he prepped at the Haverford School and earned a bachelor’s degree in classics at Princeton. He was active in football, basketball, and track at Princeton and was a member of the Glee Club and Ivy Club. He served two years as a Marine lieutenant, including Pacific duty, then taught at Haverford while earning a master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania.
Stretch joined Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, in 1948 as a Latin master, and in the words of the academy’s headmaster became an “icon” there, teaching thousands of students while becoming one of the all-time great prep school track coaches, for 44 years. An all-weather track and an annual relay are named for him.
Stretch was also known to us and to all of Western Reserve and the Hudson community for his love of life, singing, acting, music, camping, world traveling, and being a man for all seasons. He was a brother of the late Thacher Longstreth ’41.
He is survived by his companion of many years, Carole Bowden; four children, Helen Murphy, Frank H. Jr., Thomas, and Lucy; and four stepchildren, Elizabeth, Samuel, Victoria, and Anne Shepherd. Our sincere condolences go to them all.