Charles Lee Lattea, “Charlie,” went home to be with his Lord May 17, 2019, at Sunrise of Annapolis. He is survived by 2 daughters, Kathleen Marie and Karen Lee, and Karen’s spouse Kevin Owings Driscoll. Charlie also dearly loved his grandchildren, Colleen Hays and Evan Hays and his spouse Amy Hays, and his two great grandchildren, Jackson and Liliana. Dear friends at Sunrise who will miss him include Margaret “Maggie”.
Visitation will start at 10 am, Tuesday, May 21, at John M. Taylor Funeral Home in Annapolis, 147 Duke of Gloucester St, Annapolis, MD 21401 followed immediately by the funeral service at noon. Charlie will be buried at Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville at a later date.
Charlie was born in 1929 in Clarksburg, W. Va., the second child of Homer and Mary Merle Lattea (sister, Frances, and brother, William, predeceased him) with little financial wealth but an abundance of love for Jesus and for the family. He was recruited out of high school to come to the big city, DC, to work for the FBI doing fingerprint comparisons by eyeball.
When drafted for the Korean war, he tested high enough to be part of the Central Intelligence Corps doing background checks on Army personnel being considered for security clearances. One story from this time defines Charlie to his loved ones. When he approached a black high school principal in Georgia for background on a black soldier, he held out his hand as usual to shake hands. The principal said, “I just want you to know you are the first white man who ever offered to shake my hand.”
After the Army, Charlie sold fine papers for nearly 50 years to printers and rose to become a vice president.
After many years in Rockville, MD, Charlie moved to Annapolis. Charlie made friends with all of his coworkers and customers. When they had a death in the family, he showed up. At his church, just like his father before him, he taught the Bible in adult Sunday School at Trinity United Methodist in Annapolis. Charlie took Jesus at his word that we should show love to everyone he met.
This is Charlie’s life and legacy—unconditional love. Charlie was a father and grandfather to be proud of and whose counsel was always wise. He did not judge people by their mistakes but modeled faithful and honorable living daily. He was the best father two girls could have. When we had problems in relationships he would help us empathize with the other person. It is no surprise that both daughters have had long human service careers. He believed the best about everyone. While a truly humble man, the one area he bragged about was his family. He was never happier than surrounded by those he loved.
In heaven now, he is whole and in harmony with Christ and rejoined with his father and mother. Charlie was a product of generations of faith in God, and all of his descendants share his faith to this day. That is a legacy for which we are forever grateful. We can all pray to live up to his memory and to hear in heaven, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
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