Dr. Carl E. Latschar

Dr. Carl E. Latschar, 89, died November 16, 2008, at Garden Terrace of Overland Park, Overland Park, Kansas.

He was born May 24, 1919, in Newton, Kansas, to Oscar and Margaret (Warkentin) Latschar. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Laura Elizabeth (Herr) Latschar (September 2006).

Carl graduated from Meade High School in 1936 and received his B.S. in Industrial Chemistry from Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in 1941. On August 28, 1941, he married Laura at the home of her parents in Abilene, KS. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy on August 1, 1943, and served as a weather officer on the Johnston Island Naval Air Station in the Pacific during World War II.

Carl earned his M.S. in Chemistry from Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in 1947 and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from The University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1951. Carl worked as a research chemist for DuPont in Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina from 1950 until 1982 when he and Laura retired and returned to Kansas. They lived in Salina, Kansas, until January 2003, when they moved to Lakeview Village, Lenexa, Kansas, to be closer to their children. He loved his family and enjoyed cheering for the K-State Wildcats and whoever was playing against KU.

Carl is survived by his 5 children, Lucille (Rich) Jewett of Merriam, Kansas, Carol (Ulrich) Kessler of é-pfingen, Germany, John (Terry) Latschar of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Beth Latschar of Mission, Kansas, and Joanne (John) McNair of Lenexa, Kansas; 12 grandchildren, ages 17 to 41; 11 great grandchildren, ages 1 to 14; and his sisters-in-law, Louise Latschar, Alta Mae Latschar, Alice Reinecke and brother-in-law Marvin Reinecke. He was preceded in death by his brothers Arnold and Milton and sisters Agnes and Edna.

Memorial contributions in his honor may be made to the scholarship fund at the Lenexa United Methodist Church, 9138 Caenen Lake Rd, Lenexa, KS, 66215.

Memorial Services

The memorial service will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, November 21, 2008, at Lenexa United Methodist Church with burial in Abilene, Kansas.