Dale Latsch
Dale Latsch, 86, of Onaway, passed away October 14, 2018 in Petoskey.
A graduate of Onaway High School, Dale excelled in sports and especially enjoyed baseball. He spent his youth in the Tower area, swimming, fishing, hunting and exploring the wilderness.
A U.S. Army war veteran, Dale was stationed in Korea and Japan. As a corporal in the Korean War he was assigned the duty of protecting truck convoys near what is now the demilitarized zone.
Dale returned to Michigan to establish his career with the Michigan Department of Transportation and to raise a family. After retirement, Dale enjoyed doting on his grandchildren, teaching them to catch frogs and crayfish, and educating them about Michigan wildlife. He quizzed them on their math homework and encouraged higher education. All of his children and grandchildren are college graduates.
An avid deer hunter and excellent marksman, Dale took enormous pride in gun quality and gun safety. He groomed his sport acres for hunting and as a haven for wildlife. Dale particularly enjoyed exploring South and Latin America and was planning one final trip to Costa Rica.
Preceding him in death are his parents, Paul Albert Latsch and Lillie Belle (Smith) Latsch; a sister, Marcella (Lats
Surviving Dale is his sister, Celia Stutesman of Tower; four married children, Mitch and Jane Latsch of Erin, Tennessee, Vanessa Latsch Crowe and Rick Crowe of Maywood, Missouri, Brandon and Sharon Latsch of Cheboygan and Lisa and Fergus Fleming of Midland; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be held at Chagnon Funeral Home in Onaway Friday, October 19, at 1 p.m. and will be followed by military honors at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Tower. Dale’s family will receive friends at the Chagnon Funeral Home beginning at 11 a.m.
Memorial donations would gratefully be accepted for the American House Petoskey Resident Activity Fund, 2000 East Mitchell Road, Petoskey, MI 49770.