IRA SANDERS LATIMER, Jr., 90, of Charleston, died November 6, 2020 at CAMC Memorial Division after a short illness. He was born at home in Follansbee, W.Va. on April 1, 1930 , the son of the late Ira Sanders Latimer and Audrey Blakley Latimer Harris. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 52 years, Mary Ellen Wilfong Latimer, who passed away in 2005, a son, Mark, and stepfather, Howard Robert Harris. He was a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
He attended public schools in Detroit, Mich., where the family had moved for his father’s job, and Follansbee. He was a 1948 graduate of Follansbee High School, after which he worked as a fleet service clerk with American Airlines in Buffalo, N.Y. He attended West Virginia University and received Bachelor of Science (1953) and Master of Science (1958) degrees in geology. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta social fraternity, Sigma Gamma Epsilon earth science honorary, and Sigma Xi scientific research society. Following graduation in 1953 he was employed as a quality control analyst in the Link Trainer Division of Wurlitzer Co., North Tonawanda, N.Y.
From 1958 to 1968 he was a geologist with the West Virginia Geological Survey, Morgantown. In 1969 he was named Special Assistant to Governor Arch A. Moore, Jr., then served as Director of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources from 1970 to 1977. He was a Registered Professional Geologist, served as Branch Manager and Senior Geologist with Skelly and Loy Engineers, Charleston, and retired in 1995 as Vice President and Engineering Geologist with Terra Engineers, Inc., Charleston. In retirement he served as Executive Director of PERSA, the West Virginia Public Employees Retirement System Association.
He is survived by daughters, Ann Elizabeth Latimer, of Charlotte, NC, and Susan Clare (Lowell) Haga, of Charleston; son, David Franklin (Cheryl Gwinn) Latimer, of Charleston; sister Judith Ann Latimer Stadelbauer, of Allenton, Mich.; grandchildren, Jessica Ann Tabor (Michael) Ziegler, of Hellertown, Pa., and Franklin Ward (Kassie) Latimer, of Charleston; great-grandchildren, Dylon Isaac and Trinity Hope Ziegler, Brooklynne Neveah Latimer-Sheely, Franklin Daniel, Joellen Jane, and Audrey Grace Latimer.
He was a founder and first president of the West Virginia Rifle and Pistol Association, and a longtime National Rifle Association member. He was an active competitive pistol shooter, holder of the Department of Defense’s Distinguished Pistol Shot medal, a former State Senior Pistol Champion, and coach of the state’s National Civilian Champion Service Pistol team. He was former vice president of the Appalachian Geological Society, state chairman of Ducks Unlimited, president of Kanawha Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, president of the Charleston Exchange Club, a member of the National Park Service Eastern Regional Advisory Committee, and was a fly fishing and hunting enthusiast.
From 1953 to 1969 he served active duty and reserve in the U.S. Air Force, attaining the rank of Captain. He was a Communications Security Officer specializing in Cryptographic Security at bases in Tripoli, Libya and Rabat, French Morocco. He was president of Yeager Chapter of the Air Force Association, and member of The American Legion, Korean War Veterans Association, Moroccan Reunion Association, and AACS Alumni Association (U.S Air Force).
Bollinger Funeral Home, Charleston, is in charge of arrangements. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. A private burial at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens, Weston, WV will be November 14, 2020. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory can be made to the West Virginia Veterans Nursing Facility, attention: Veterans Benefit Fund (also write this on the memo line of the check), One Freedoms Way, Clarksburg, WV26301 or Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Charleston WV, Treasurer-Sponsorship Fund, 5313 Pamela Cir. Cross Lanes, WV 25313 (https://casc.charityproud.org/).
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