Mr. Walter William Latta, 84, of LaBelle, passed away at his residence Saturday, November 12, 2011.
He was born on October 18, 1927, in Vinton, Louisiana, to Bessie Marie LaFleur Latta and Gordon Zimri Latta. Walter was baptized as a member of the Vinton United Methodist Church on Easter Sunday, 1932. He was a third generation rice farmer and rancher. When the family moved to Texas, Walter, at the age of 14, drove the family combine and crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in the process. The family eventually settled in the LaBelle area where they continued to farm rice and raise cattle.
Walter served in the Army from March 1946 to September 1947 and received an Honorable Discharge. On October 30, 1948, he married Rose Marie Royer. They just celebrated their 63rd Wedding Anniversary. Walter’s love of family, farming and animals was apparent to many and there wasn’t anything he couldn’t ride, rope, drive, weld or build.
Walter is survived by his wife, Rose Latta of LaBelle; four children, Mike Latta and his wife, Karen, Leslie Martin and her husband, Alton, and Mark Latta all of LaBelle, and Ola Shipp and her husband, Kenny of Fannett; six grandchildren, Melissa Gaus and her husband, David, Chris Latta and his wife, Angie, Andy Martin and his wife, Adrianne, Josh Martin and his wife, Stephanie, Sean Martin and Cameron Shipp; ten great-grandchildren; and one sister, Helen DeRouche and her husband, Al of Bridge City.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Bessie and Gordon Latta; and his brother, Gordon “Buck” Latta.
His funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 16, 2011, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont with Brother David Brown, officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Winnie with Andy, Josh and Sean Martin, Chris Latta, Carey Mitchell and Bernard Mott serving as pallbearers. Jennings Eldridge will serve as honorary pallbearer. A gathering of his family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 15, 2011, at Broussard’s.
