John Alan Latta

John Alan Latta passed away January 30, 2024 at the age of 77 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, GA.  John was born and raised in Lone Tree, Iowa, graduating as valedictorian from the only school in Lone Tree.  He and his Dad were active in the Boy Scouts with John achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.  He played on the football team.  John graduated from the University of Iowa with a Masters of Rehabilitation Counseling.  He later received a Certificate in Governmental Administration from Georgia State University.  John had a successful career in the field of rehabilitation working as a counselor, supervisor, staff development and training specialist and leadership development coordinator in the states of Tennessee and Georgia.  He also worked as the Assistant Director for RRCEP for Administration and Management at Georgia State University and the Director of the Tennessee School for the Deaf in Nashville, Tennessee.

John was preceded in death by

Helen Eden Latta, Mother

Floyd Alan Latta, Father

Monique Latta Stewart, Daughter

He is survived by

Wanda Gibbs Latta, Wife, Athens, Georgia

Siblings

Jeanne Todd, Coralville, Iowa

Sue Elthon (Ray), Iowa City, Iowa

Arden Latta (Becky), Lone Tree, Iowa

Children

Tanya McCaskill (Wesley), Cedar Hill, Tennessee

Joe Schull (Kerri), Bogart, Georgia

Josh Latta, Athens, Georgia

Grandchildren

Haley Holt (Brandon) Riley, Brady and Savannah Holt, Adams, Tennessee

Donovan McCaskill, Nashville, Tennessee

Olivia and Elaina McCaskill, Cedar Hill, Tennessee

Gracie and Jack Schull, Bogart Georgia

Courtney Wix, Micah Wix, Shelbyville, Tennessee

John served in the US Army during the Vietnam Era being commissioned in 1968.  In 1996 he joined the US Army Reserves starting out in Fort Riley, Kansas with the First Infantry Division.  He later served with the 335 Signal Command in Atlanta.   He retired from the Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel with the Unit in Chamblee, Georgia teaching Commanding General Staff College.

John wrote a book “A Thousand Letters Away, One Man’s War” based on letters exchanged by his Mother and Father during World War II.