Harold “Cap” Lowell Long
July 12, 1933 – December 9, 2025
Harold “Cap” Lowell Long, 92, passed peacefully at his home on Tuesday, December 9, surrounded by loved ones. He was born in Thurmont, Maryland, on July 12, 1933, the eighth of ten children born to the late Franklin and Ruth (Troxell) Long. He grew up active in 4-H and FFA. Harold was married to Mary Kathryn Schildt for 69 years. He started farming and milking cows in 1956 and was a lifelong farmer.
In the 1960s, Harold and Mary Kathryn established “Long View Farm” in Thurmont, breeding Brown Swiss and Holstein cattle. They bred and developed numerous All Americans, All American Nominations, won a combined 14 Maryland Star Fair Premier Breeder and Exhibitor Banners, and had Long View animals selected as junior, senior, reserve, and grand champion at more than 20 state shows and 12 national shows. Their greatest success was breeding one of the legends of the breed, Long View Jade’s Raisin. Raisin is one of five of the most decorated national champions in the breed, being named grand or reserve at the Eastern National Show, Central National Show, and the Southeastern National Show.
Other well-known Long View animals included Long View Jetway Oprah, who was named Grand Champion at World Dairy Expo in 2000, and was owned by Edwin & Della Genasci, and Long View Chall Rosemary, who was Junior Champion at both the Eastern National and Central National Shows in 1993. Long View Farm was also recognized for developing one of the breed’s most prominent bulls, Bridge View Jubilation, in the 1980s.
The Long View herd dispersed in 1993. After “Cap” retired in 2000, he continued working with animals, breeding quality Beagle puppies. He also purchased two Haflinger draft horses and enjoyed taking his friends and family for rides. Other joys for him were fishing and hunting, especially deer and elk hunting out west.
Harold belonged to many organizations and received special recognition over the years. Harold and Mary were honored as the Frederick County Jaycee’s Outstanding Young Farmer in 1969. In the 1980s, they were selected as the Maryland 4-H Family of the Year. Their most recent award was being inducted into the Maryland Dairy Shrine in 2022, recognizing the Longs for their dedication to the dairy industry. Harold was a member of the Maryland and the National Brown Swiss Associations (he once served as state president) and was also a member of the Maryland Holstein Association. Harold served on the original Mid-Atlantic Brown Swiss Calf Sale committee, which has developed into a popular spring sale for over 50 years. He also belonged to the Frederick County and Maryland Farm Bureaus and the Thurmont Grange.
Harold is survived by his wife; his children: Cindy Warner (Pete) of Frederick; Karen Cole (Kevin) of Lewistown; Douglas Long (Debbie) of Cascade; Patty Long-Young Hopkins (Rod) of Frederick; Becky Chaney (Lee) of Keymar; and Dennis Long of Emmitsburg; a special nephew: Jerry Schildt (Lori) of Shreveport, LA; three of his siblings: Gloriae Long Green of Thurmont, Raymond Long (Naomi) of Thurmont, and Carole Beauchamp of Bisbee, AZ; and his 12 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Condolences can be shared at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/fredericknewspost/name/harold-long-obituary?id=60272559.
In Lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Thurmont Grange, c/o Cathy Little, 7776 Black Road, Thurmont, MD 21788; Frederick County 4-H Camp and Activities Center c/o Christy Fuss, 3702 Basford Road, Frederick, MD 21703; or the St. Paul’s Utica Lutheran Women’s League, c/o Billie Jo Devilbiss, 10625 Old Frederick Road, Thurmont, MD 21788.
