Lee Latham

The flowers are blooming just a little bit brighter in heaven thanks to the gentle tending of its newest member, Lee Latham who died last Thursday, September 6, 2007.

Latham was born on June 8, 1924 in Sharon, South Carolina to Leslie and Rena Latham.

During World War II, he served as an aviation mechanic for the US Army Air Corp. While attending a USO function in Santa Monica, he met the love of his life, Faye Everett.

The couple married on October 24, 1945 and had two daughters.

In 1951, they moved to Southern California where Mr. Latham went to work as an aviation mechanic for Hughes Helicopters and helped to build the prototype for the Apache Helicopter. He retired in 1988.

When Mr. Latham wasn't working, he probably either had his hands in the dirt or his feet on the dance floor as he was an avid gardener and square dancer. Mr. Latham and his wife's garden was a showcase of soft colors and heavenly scents; however, it was not big enough for Mr. Latham. He at one time had four plots at the community garden in Mar Vista and grew more tomatoes than Mrs. Latham could can and more zucchinis and green beans than they could ever give away. It seemed that where ever he could find a barren bit of earth, he felt compelled to plant something. He even planted a vegetable garden at his work, and he and his co-workers would snack on vegetables during their breaks.

He didn't just plant seeds. He also frequently planted his feet on the dance floor as he do-si-doed with the Red Ribbon Squares in Santa Monica. He was a past president of the square dance group.

He was a devoted member of the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica where he ushered for 40 years and helped serve Thanksgiving Dinner to the less fortunate. In 2003 he moved to Paradise to be closer to his daughter.

He is survived by his wife Faye Latham; daughters Mary Sitter of Magalia and Martha Allen of Salem, Oregon; grandsons Ben Sitter of Paradise and Patrick Allen of San Francisco; and three great granddaughters Margaret, Abigail and Nicole Sitter of Paradise.

He was a gentle soul, a true southern gentleman who loved the great outdoors, but who most of all loved his family. He will be greatly missed.