Joseph Baggett Latting

Joseph (Joe) Baggett Latting died on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 in Austin, Texas, surrounded by loving family and after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer, at the age of 81. Joe is survived by his wife, Paula Bjork, son John Bennett Latting, daughter Catherine (Cate) Elaine Latting and her husband Eben Levy, their children Leo Latting Levy and Hazel Elizabeth Levy, Dennis Lozano and wife Lisa, Dee Dee DiSanto and her family, and his beloved dog Bucky.

Joe is preceded in death by his daughter Elizabeth (Lisa) Margaret Latting and his brother Richard (Dickie) Hargon Latting.

Joe was born on July 2, 1941 at home on Kerbey Lane in Austin, Texas to Richard Baggett Latting, Jr. and Lillian Hazel (Hargon) Latting. Joe grew up in Austin, graduating from S.F. Austin High School in 1959, then from the “Plan 2” program at the University of Texas at Austin. He graduated from UT with BA and LLB degrees in 1966.

Marriages to Marilyn (Russey) Latting, deceased, and Suzanne Clayton ended in divorce.

Joe practiced law in Austin for 35 years. During his final years as a lawyer, he went to graduate school at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and became a licensed counselor. He worked as a volunteer counselor with various non-profits throughout his retirement.

In a family ancestry book written by his father in 1980, Joe is described as a person who “plays baseball, guitar, banjo and sings; humorous impersonator and commentator, and all-around entertainer.” Anyone who knows Joe knows all of these things remained true throughout his life (though no one remembers him playing baseball…only getting thrown out of little league games as a coach).

Joe had many passions, the greatest of which was music. His love of playing guitar and singing with friends and family was his idea of heaven. Among many musical pursuits throughout his life, he played in bands, performed at high school reunions, and sang for hospice patients. He shared his musical gifts with anyone who cared to listen, and with some who didn’t.

Joe was also a talented photographer, avid reader of all things WWII-related, impressive quoter/interpreter of Oscar Wilde, Bob Dylan, Shakespeare, and Bob and Ray, donner of ridiculous costumes, and enthusiastic consumer and sharer of articles from The Onion, columns by Dave Barry, and cartoons from The New Yorker and The Far Side.

In the days surrounding his death, many close friends described Joe as a force of nature. He certainly was.

A celebration of Joe’s life will take place on Saturday, September 3, 2022 at 11am at Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home, 5416 Parkcrest Drive, Austin, TX 78731.

In Joe’s honor, please consider a donation to Hospice Austin’s Christopher House, www.hospiceaustin.org.