Leo Joseph Latus

Leo Joseph "Bud" Latus was born March 3, 1930, at Memorial Hospital in Benton Harbor and died at his home in Hartford on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014.

Bud was the son of Dr. and Mrs. Leo F. Latus, who preceded him in death, as did a sister, Mary Ellen Learner. Bud graduated from Hartford High School in 1947 and Coyne Electric in Chicago in 1949. He married Lois Annette Kussmann in Hartford on Sept. 17, 1949, in Hartford. Together they raised five children: Marilyn (George) Thornburg, Barbara (Ken) Oosterbaan, Michael (Donna) Latus, Jill (Michael) Hallgren and Joan (Joseph) Pipp. All their children graduated from Hartford Public Schools and received degrees from Michigan colleges.

After graduation from Coyne Electric, he returned to Hartford and worked at Riverside Electric in Riverside for 18 years. From 1967 to 1976, he was plant superintendent at a new food processing plant in Hartford, Cherry Growers/Duffy Mott. In 1976 he was the plant engineer for Michigan Fruit Canners in Benton Harbor, South Haven and Fennville.

He served as Hartford's Cubmaster for several years and on the Hartford School Board for nine years (1967-1976).

Bud served the athletic department at Hartford High School for 39 years, running the score board clock during the football season. He served on the Zoning and Planning Commission for Hartford for 21 years and worked on the Concerts in the Park Committee for several years.

He served on the City Commission from 1991 to 1996 and as interim city manager for six months, January to June 1999. He also served as a city commissioner from 2002 to 2013 and actively served on the I-94/Red Arrow Corridor development.

Bud was honored with the Lion's Club Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and a special tribute from the state of Michigan on Nov. 18, 2013, for his more than 35 years of service to his community.

Bud is survived by Lois, his bride of 64 years; his children; his brothers: Thomas (Marilyn), Peter and Robert (Elizabeth); his sisters, Frances DelPizzo and Alice (Clarence) Hill; 13 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Hospice Care, Rose Arbor of Southwest Michigan, 222 North Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 100, Kalamazoo, or to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Hartford.

Visitation for Leo will be from 2-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, at Calvin Funeral Home in Hartford, with a rosary recited at 6 p.m.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, at Immaculate Conception Church, with a luncheon served in the Church Hall after burial in Maple Hill Cemetery, Hartford.