Jane Latta

1915 - 2018

Jane Latta, 103 of Pughtown PA passed away peacefully at her home on December 26th, 2018. Born November 25th, 1915 Jane was the daughter of the late James Latta Sr. of Parkesburg PA and Anna Wilson Smith of Brandon Vermont. Jane grew up on the Latta family farm in Sadsbury township along with her two brothers, John Y. Latta and James Latta Jr. both of whom pre-deceased her. She graduated from Coatesville High School in 1934 and attended Philadelphia School of Industrial Arts. Jane had an early interest in photography and in the Amish and Mennonite families who were neighbors of the Latta farm in Chester and nearby Lancaster county. These relationships enabled Jane to photo-document a fascinating culture before tourist intrusiveness. Jane moved to New York City prior to World War II and worked in the photography lab for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). During the war, she processed film including aerial reconnaissance photos from the European theater. After the war, Jane began a long career with United Fruit in Public Relations and traveled extensively throughout Central America doing photographic work at the many United Fruit plantations. This was unusual and sometimes dangerous work, especially for a young woman traveling alone. On one such trip to a remote plantation in Honduras, as Jane sat on the airstrip awaiting a bush plane she encountered a highly venomous snake. On another trip a jaguar killed a village dog on the porch of the home where she was staying. Jane also did freelance photography and traveled (often on bicycle) throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Mexico, Iceland, Africa and South America as well as Central America. Living with a farm family in Norway in 1951, she chronicled life in the saeters (the mountain meadows) where families spent the summers with their cows and goat herds making traditional cheeses. Jane’s photographs were widely published nationally and in Europe; and her early Amish photographic work fueled a growing interest in that community. Retiring from MacMillan in 1984, Jane moved back to her beloved Chester County and the village of Pughtown. Jane is particularly well known for her photographic work in Central America and amongst the Amish. Her life of travel and photography was featured in an exhibition in 2008 at the Chester County Historical Society. Jane is survived by eight nieces and nephews and was predeceased by a niece, Paula Latta Coyne. A celebration of Jane’s life is planned for this Spring at Upper Octorara Church, near the old Latta homestead.