Thomas Albert Lathe's Obituary
Thomas Albert Lathe was born in Baltimore, Maryland on May 16, 1938. His parents were Warren and Margaret Lathe. They raised five sons, Warren, Jr., Thomas, Robert, Timothy and Albert (deceased). Tom's mother was one quarter Mattaponi Indian of the Powhatan Nation. Tom was very proud of his Indian heritage. Tom loved the outdoors, camping, fishing, boxing, football singing and skiing. As a teenager, he became the Golden Gloves Boxing Champion of Baltimore.
Tom's first marriage was to Nancy Jane Butler (June 6th 1959) of Martinsburg, Pennsylvania. They raised two daughters, Nicole Ervin and Noel Corbin. There first born child (Aug 63) was a daughter named Selina Beatrice Almira Lathe. She died shortly after birth and is buried in Fort Rucker Alabama. They had four grandchildren, Johanna Allen, Kyle Ervin, Charles Weeks Jr. and Philip Weeks.
Tom was drafted by the U. S. Army in 1961. He was stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama in
Helicopter supply. He received orders for Vietnam, but they were canceled. Instead, his unit was flown to south Florida to set up facilities for troops to prepare to invade Cuba. Fortunately, Nikita Kruschev
And U.S. President John Kennedy made the decision to cancel the planned combat. Tom's unit was returned to Fort Rucker and we all gave a sigh of relief. Tom retired from the Army in 1963 and returned home to Virginia.
Tom's second marriage was to Donna Judy Lathe. They would have been married 39 years on 1-17-15,
but Tom died on 12-7-14. Donna had 3 children from her first marriage, Dawn Cain, Preston Parker, Jr. and Patrice Nowlan. This marriage has been successful because they enjoyed so many activities together, watching football, fishing, camping, boating, snow skiing and fishing in Striper competition up and down the east coast for Striper Magazine in their bass boat named the “Awesome One”.
In 1984 they were selected to fish with the “Virginia State” team of nine. There were teams from every state at the competition on the huge Lake Texoma” in Oklahoma. Tom brought in the first striper of the 2-day tournament, he knew fishing. Unfortunately, one team cheated, blocking off one arm of the lake for days before the tournament and gaining a distinct advantage. They won a large cash prize and a new boat, but when it was discovered that they had cheated, the prizes were taken back. The Captain of that boat was sent to prison.
Stripers are a deep water fish, and when they are brought to the surface, they have nearly expired so they cannot be set free. The tournament brought in 5,000 pounds of Striper. The catch was donated to local charities such as retirement homes and orphanages.
Tom and Donna skied from coast to coast and up to Mount Tremblant in Canada. Exciting fun.
They mad three trips to Montana two trips in a small camper and once they flew into Bozeman.
Tom enjoyed trout fishing in the most desirable Madison River. They loved Montana so they made
The decision to buy 20 acres of that beautiful state.
They retired in 1992 from the United States Postal Service in Merrifield, Virginia and moved to 88
Acres with a panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Culpeper County, Va. on the Robinson
River to build their home. They became involved in karaoke and spent 14 years singing around Culpeper.
Over the years, Tom and Donna made many friends and Tom will be missed by them.
He is survived by his wife, Donna Judy Lathe; five children, Nicole Ervin and her husband, Kenneth of Woodstock, Noel Corbin of Fredericksburg, Patrice Nowlan and her husband, William of Springfield, Preston Parker Jr. and his wife, Lois of Lorton and Dawn Cain of Lorton, VA; three brothers, Warren Lathe, Jr., Robert Lathe and Timothy Lathe; nine grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and other extended family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Albert Lathe.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 2pm at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 850 Sperryville Pike, Culpeper. The family will receive friends two hours prior to the service.
Found and Sons Funeral Chapel of Culpeper is serving the family.
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