Indy Audio Labs has established an educational fund through the Central Indiana Community Foundation in memory of Indianapolis explosion victims, John (Dion) Longworth, and his wife, Jennifer. The Longworths were killed in the Richmond Hill subdivision home explosion on Indianapolis’ Far Southside on Saturday, November 10, 2012.
John (Dion) Longworth.
Dion and Jennifer placed a high value on education and shared a mutual love for gardening, according to Indy Audio. To give back to the community in their memory, the fund will assist in education scholarships and grants, as well as community beautification projects.
Memorial donations and checks written to “Dion and Jennifer Longworth Memorial Fund” can be directed to:
Dion and Jennifer Longworth Memorial Fund
c/o Central Indiana Community Foundation
615 N. Alabama St., #119
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-634-2423
www.cicf.org
Indy Audio Labs shared further biographical information about Dion:
Dion had a passionate love of all things audio and video from a very early age, beginning with turntable tear-downs at the side of his father, John. Dion gained a great love and respect from his father for all forms of music and the technology that brought sound alive. An avid fan of all things unique and technical, Dion was a collector of Polaroid cameras and was in the process of restoring a vintage muscle car. The experience of life was very important to Dion, and he enriched those who knew him with his enthusiasm and integrity. In the audio industry, he was relentless in his pursuit to understand and improve the musical experience for everyone.
Dion graduated at the top of his class from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. His senior design project was so impressive that Klipsch hired him immediately upon graduation. Dion worked tirelessly to contribute to Klipsch’s products over the next six years. He worked on the development team of the first in-ceiling THX Ultra2-certified loudspeakers. Dion was the first engineer assigned to lead projects in Klipsch’s Advanced Development Group, where he set technology standards for Internet radio platforms and networked loudspeakers.
In late 2008 Dion took his passion for developing cutting-edge products to a new level by joining an Indiana start-up called Stray Light Optical. There, he was instrumental in developing new, high-efficiency plasma lighting for industrial and medical applications. Dion added mechanical and optical engineering to his engineering expertise while at Stray Light Optical.
Dion returned to the AV electronics industry in 2011 when he was hired by Indy Audio Labs as its director of product development and technology. There, he worked with former Klipsch colleagues Rick Santiago, Ted Moore and Joe Land to create and launch a completely new line of advanced amplifiers and AV processors integrated with Internet connectivity and control. Dion was a strong advocate of “Made in the USA” and was indispensable in bringing that belief to Indy Audio Labs and its products.
Dion was taken from us abruptly and far, far too early. He was a very special person who touched the heart of everyone he met. Sincere, loyal, brilliant and steadfast: a small list of his many wonderful qualities. There are so many innovative contributions he would have made to our industry that we will now never see. Dion’s unique personality, technical abilities and vision will be missed by our company and by many, many people in our industry.
Arrangements for Dion and Jennifer Longworth:
Calling on Sunday, November 18 from 4-8 p.m. at Wilson-St. Pierre Funeral Home, Greenwood, Indiana (US 31 and Main Street).
Funeral Mass on Monday, November 19 at 10 a.m. at St. Barnabas Catholic Church, 8300 Rahke Road, Indianapolis.
To help the general community impacted by this tragedy, please make donations to:
Southport Presbyterian Church
Attention: Disaster Relief
7525 McFarland Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46237
Please mark all checks “Disaster Relief.”
