Doris Janzen Longacre

Doris Janzen Longacre was born February 15, 1940 in Newton, Kansas. She received her BA degree in home economics from Goshen College and did graduate studies at Goshen Biblical Seminary and Kansas State University. With her husband, Paul Longacre, and two daughters, Cara Sue and Marta Joy, she worked with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Vietnam (1964-1967) and in Indonesia (1971-1972). She served as chairperson of the Akron Mennonite Church, as a member of the Board of Overseers of Goshen Biblical Seminary, and as a frequent speaker on world hunger.

Doris became well-known across North America and around the world through her two books: the More-with-Less Cookbook, a collection of recipes and suggestions on how to enjoy more while consuming less of the world's resources (Herald Press, 1976), and Living More with Less, a collection of tips and testimonies of people searching for ways to simplify their lives. Living More with Less was published in 1980, shortly after her death, at the age of 39, on November 10, 1979.