Pamela Latta:
CLASS OF 1967
Camelback High SchoolClass of 1967
Phoenix, AZ
Westminster CollegeClass of 1971
New wilmington, PA
Academy of New ChurchClass of 1969
Bryn athyn, PA
Pamela's Story
My life since graduation from Camelback High School has been nothing like I imagined! I worked at House of Fabrics during the summer of 1967, then left for the Bryn Athyn College, in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. I spent two years there then transferred to Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, graduating Magna Cum Laude in Speech and Theater, Secondary Education. I was married to Leigh Latta on June 15, 1971, spending the next 5 years managing the Dining Hall at the school in Bryn Athyn, while Leigh taught seventh grade. In the fall of 1975, we decided to move out to Oregon. Little did I imagine that I would spend most of my adult life in a town of less than 1200 people, in a county with no stoplights or parking meters, and at the foot of one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the West!
We have 3 sons: Leigh IV born in 1972 (Jay Rockefeller had a fourth that same year, so why not us, too?), Bart (yes, named after Bart Starr and Bart Maverick) born in 1974, and Westlee (means "from a western meadow) born at the small hospital in Enterprse, Oregon in 1976. Leigh is married to Katy Lear and has 2 girls: Paxtyn Jane, age 9 and Odessa Leigh, aged 6. Bart is married to Angela Sticka and they have two girls: Adagia Logan, aged 15 and Arian Aurora, aged 12. West married Katy Grace Ball and they have two girls: Deva Grace, aged 6 and Aisling Mara (pronounced Ash-ling) and are expecting another at the end of October. I loved being a mother, but I adore being Gramma P to these girls. Out with the Star Wars and in with American Girl Dolls...
Living in Joseph has been a wonderful experience and provided us with a fulfilling life. Our children had a remarkable education given the size of the Joseph School District. They all graduated at the top of their respective classes. Leigh IV went on the obtain his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Biology from the University of Oregon, and his doctorate at Utah State University. He had two post-doctoral positions--one at Harvard University and one at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. His dream has always been to teach, and he is now an Assistant Professor of Biology at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho.
Bart spent 6 months at the U of O and decided that college was not for him! After a couple of years in Eugene working for a contractor, he returned to Wallowa County and began work as a patina artist at Parks ...Expand for more
Bronze. Bart has built an impressive reputation for his creative and beautiful colorations of bronze art works. Parks Bronze does both table-sized and monumental bronzes which are on display all over the nation. They are currently working on a 50 foot whale for the 50th Anniversary of Alaska's statehood. (Juneau, Alaska The Whale Project).
West attended The Evergreen State College near Olympia, Washington. Although his degree was in music and theater, he developed a serious interest in the Video Game industry. After ten years of building his resume and working for companies that contracted with Microsoft, he applied for and was hired in the Audio department creating the 'sounds' of various video games. He now manages 7 different groups of people who live all over the world and keep in touch via that thing called the Internet!
When we first moved to Joseph in June, 1976, my husband worked for a local rancher. He then worked for the power company, and operated two of his own businesses: Chieftain Stove Works and Dexter-Portfolio Company before embarking on employment with the fledgling bronze art industry-Valley Bronze-in 1984. By the 1990s he had moved over to Parks Bronze in Enterprise (six miles away). He finished out his working years prior to retirement in 2010 as a contractor with Kissenger Construction, building a number of the multi-million dollar homes which now dot our valley.
As with many of the young women that moved to Joseph in the mid-1970's, I worked in many sales positions and as a waitress until the fall of 1983 when I was hired by the newly formed State of Oregon Senior Services Division. I had inquired about teaching positions, but learned to my regret that I would have to go back to college for at least a year in La Grande at Eastern Oregon University before I would be allowed to teach. Not only was La Grande 68 miles away through the winding Minam Canyon, but I had three small children to care for. All I can say is I loved my job helping the elderly in the nine counties of Eastern Oregon. I was blessed to be given many different job opportunities in my 32 years with the State and am now very grateful for the good health insurance and retirement benefits!
I am hoping that the Class of '67 will have a 50th class reunion. I missed the last one due to the fact that my youngest son was married on that same weekend. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Register for Free to view all yearbooks!
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
