Ernest Gene Latta, 89 of Amarillo passed 23rd January 2021. Ernest was born January 20, 1932 near Fargo, OK to John and Reva Latta. He graduated from Fargo High School in 1950. He married Dorothy Weibel on April 3, 1951 in Clayton, NM and shared 63 years of marriage. Ernest joined the navy in 1951, serving aboard the U.S.S. Marshall and after three deployments to Korea, he was honorably discharged in late 1954. He enrolled at Oklahoma State University in 1955, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and then taught high school Ag in Moorhead for two years.
In 1961, Ernest began his career in feed yard management at Northwest Feed Yards in Buffalo Oklahoma. In 1970, he moved his family to Amarillo, TX to become General Manager of SIC Deaf Smith Feed Yards near Hereford, TX and assumed responsibility as well for XIT Feed Yards in Dalhart, TX in 1974, when he was then named to the corporation's board of directors. When both feed lots were sold in 1978, Ernest became a cattle order buyer for the following eight years. In 1986, he and Dorothy moved to Perryton, TX where he managed Perryton Feeders for 12 years until his retirement in 1998. They moved back to Amarillo, where Ernest would periodically perform cattle inspections for Wells Fargo and First United Bank.
Survivors include a son, Mark Latta of Albuquerque, NM; a daughter Marsha Hutchins and husband David of Amarillo, TX; two brothers, Dwight Latta and wife Sue of Ft. Supply, OK, John Latta and wife Rella of Fargo, OK; a sister Pat Highfill of Woodward, OK; four grandsons, Brant Latta and wife Ashley of Amarillo, TX, Jared Hutchins of Dallas, TX, Trevor Hutchins of Albuquerque NM, Daniel Latta of San Diego, CA; three great-grandchildren, Melrose Hutchins, Cale and Lorelei Latta.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations sent to The Alzheimer Association.
