I am in shock,  I just found out that John passed away.  I am so sorry to Ami and Little Jack.  I wish i would have known to pay my respects. He was a great boss over the years!  Worked for him at GCG and Tdec.  God Bless him and his family!  He will be missed.

I'm shocked and saddened to hear this news. My parents' house is across the fence from the Lathams and when John and I were in 1st and 2nd grades at Locust Valley primary school, we spent a fair bit of time playing at one another's houses. It will surprise no one, I suppose, that we rode our bikes all over the neighborhood getting into mischief and making our own fun. While we lost touch later in life, I have very fond memories of that time and have always remembered John. I send my deepest condolences to Ami and Jack, and to John, Mercedes, and Kimberly.

A few years ago, back when John still worked in New York, we rescued a blimp.  John, La'trice and I, one early evening down at Republic Airport after work.  It sounds cool, because it sorta was pretty neat.

I think we'd just grabbed something for dinner, or maybe we were killing time before heading somewhere.  There'd been one of those flash storms - where it's just a crazy torrential downpour for ten minutes or so, and then all of a sudden hey! it's bright and sunny again.  We were looking for something interesting to do, and found ourselves parked down on the far side of the airport, just to watch the planes take off and land.

Well, that remote corner of the airport is where the blimps that float around local NY sporting events come to roost.  One was moored there that day, except something was really screwy.  Instead of floating peacefully, parallel to the ground, this one was sticking straight up, perpendicular to the ground, tail way up in the air.  The whole scene looked like some giant's kid was moments away from losing his balloon to a strong breeze.

John of course decided that was no way for a civilized blimp to behave.  He talked us into walking over to the fence, and then into hopping the fence, to see if we could sort out what was what with this blimp gone wrong.  Because of course he would talk us into that.

Turned out, the guy taking care of the blimp (the blimp shepherd?) really needed help.  The rest of his crew was off-duty and wouldn't have been allowed to help him even if they came back.  They draw straws - loser stays, everyone else goes to a bar.  That flash storm caused the problem.  During heavy rain, you have to quickly take the sandbags out of the cabin so the the blimp doesn't hit the ground (and pop, I suppose?).  But the weather went from blinding rain to hot and sunny too fast.  Hence the blimp doing a handstand.

One person alone couldn't fix it, but the four of us pulled the tail back down and got the sandbags back into the cabin.  The fellow who was herding the blimp appreciated it, and as a little reward showed us the cabin (it's tiny) and regaled us with all sorts of blimping stories.  And pictures, too - a few days later he emailed us all exciting pix of blimps in action.  It was fantastic.

The main point of this story is that every single positive and interesting thing that happened originated with John.  Had it been up to me, I'm sure we would have just gone to Applebees or some other forgettable place.  It's John that said "Nah, that's boring.  Let's do something interesting!"  And when we were sitting in the car trying to decide whether we were looking at something strange, I'm pretty sure I was already starting to think "Well, that COULD be normal, I've never seen a blimp in park before..."  It was John who said "Nope, that tears it.  This is undeniably odd, so we're going to investigate."

And that's what John did.  A day headed for mundane and unmemorable turned into a random adventure.  We have a neat story to tell, and someone got a huge helping hand in the process as well.  All because it was simply obvious to John that you should always do the more interesting thing, investigate things, and help out rather than just watching on the sidelines.  And the rest of us were always lucky for it.

Since then, without fail, every single time I've seen a blimp I've smiled.  Now I'm afraid I might smile but be a bit sad too.  But I guess that's OK.

I have been having such a difficult time this weekend expressing how sad I am.  All of the adjectives my brain stumbles across seem so little and clumsy, and the words don't work enough like they're supposed to.  I'm profoundly sad and sorry to hear this news, and I miss my friend John.

Ami and Jack, I am truly sorry that I will not be able to be there tomorrow, but you and everyone in John's family are in my heart and thoughts.  I hope that you are as well as can be.

Sean Lavan

So terribly sorry to hear this heartbreaking news and send love and sympathy
to Mercedes and her family.
Carol Shuttleworth

I wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about John.  I worked for him a couple of years ago he was a great supervisor and a very nice & caring man he will be missed by many.  I will be thinking of his family.  My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.  
Tammy Vandergriff

A sympathy card was purchased for the family of John R. Latham IV.

We were so saddened to hear of John and the Latham family's loss.  My memories growing up are primarily with my cousins Jack & Mercedes, but fortunately we have shared family updates over the years as our individual families have grown.  Once family ... always family.  Please accepted our sincerest sympathy.  May everyone's memories of John live on forever.

Bob, Mary, Erin, & Kendra Latham
Wethersfield, CT

my deepest sympathy to the Latham family. i have such happy memories of John at St John's of Lattingtown youth group. John was a kind friend and i treasured his friendship.  You are all in my thoughts and prayers. 

Susie Shuttleworth, Brooklyn NY

My heart is very heavy and filled with sorrow.  I worked with John in NY for five years and he was a good friend.  I will always remember John as having the best sense of humor and being very kindhearted. He will truly be missed.  My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

So Many good memories hanging out with John when we were younger.
He was always a great guy.
I am deeply saddened. My thoughts and prayers to his family.
Rest In Peace John.

I am very grateful to have grown up with John, and most of my early childhood memories have him in them.  In my minds eye I can still see him at about 14 with a playful look on his face and flipping his hair out of his eyes.  Very early on he showed me how important it was to slow down a bit and appreciate where you are and what's happening right in front of you...this usually happened when we were late to something, about to get in trouble, and it was the last thing we wanted to hear.  His creative talents and his ability to include and enthuse others along the way was really something to witness and to get caught up in. I knew John during a time when we talked about the dreams we hoped would come true in our lives...I'm glad so many of his did. 
Mr. and Mrs. Latham, Kimberly(and family), Jack and Aimee...I am so sorry for your loss.  All our love, prayers and condolences.  

Bobby Johnson

John was the most sincere person I have ever met. He was kind and caring. I have so many great memories that we shared in high school. We will all miss him very much. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. RIP my good friend.

Wonderful man.  Kind, funny, and a joy to be around.  Caring husband and father.  We will all miss him very much.

I came to know John through our business partnership and quickly grew to know John as a person who possesses core values that transcend business and life.  Honest, caring, meticulous to detail, treated everyone with dignity, bright and very easy to be with are my memories I will cherish.  I have only had the pleasure of knowing John for about 1 year.  During that short time, he visited our team a few times at the Jersy shore and we quickly  bonded over our love of our families.  I send my deepest sympathies to his family, friends and Co-workers.  I only wish I was able to meet John sooner in life.  God Bless you all and may the Lord watch over his wife and young son.

Jeff

There really aren't enough words I can use to describe John:  Intelligent, creative, witty, kind, caring, compassionate, loyal....only begin to apply.  I have so many great memories of our times together at Locust Valley HS and beyond to cherish.  As more and more of these memories come rushing through my mind I'm overwhelmed thinking   about the large number of people John touched positively, including myself.  I hope God will grant us all the fairest amount of peace as we mourn; most especially his wife and young son, his sister Kimberly and family, as well as his Mother and Father, Jack and Mercedes, with whom I share many memories with as well and I thank for all the kindness they bestowed upon me as a young man visiting their home and acknowledging my friendship with John.

TDEC purchased the Grand Pedestal Basket for the family of John R. Latham IV.

My memories of John consist of his kindness and the very gentle way that he maintained.  He always made you feel welcomed and made you know that he cared. I feel blessed to have to know John and feel that anyone who got the opportunity to meet him shared in the that gift.  My heart and prayers go out to Ami and their family and want you to know that I am truly saddened by your loss.

I didn't know John until after High School when I started going home from college for the summers. I remember his gentle nature best, and his easy humor. Made me really happy to reconnect through facebook, and to see him happy with his growing family. Saddens me to think of the world without him.

How can a few words even begin to sum up a man's life? John was the top... I wasn't one of his first friends, but I considered him one of my best.  I am grateful for all he brought into my life, and for the joy he brought to Ami and Jack.  He will forever make the worst coffee I have ever drank, and I will cherish ever sip he made me. So many memories bring a laugh to my lips.  John, rest in peace my brother from another mother.

OBITUARY

John R. Latham

June 4, 1968 – December 30, 2012

Schoedinger Midtown

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