Wanda Faye Latham

Wanda Faye (Young) Latham, of Groesbeck, passed away at Providence Hospital in Waco on Monday, August 6, 2018, at age 80. Visitation will be Thursday, August 9, 2018 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, from 6:00-8:00 P.M. Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Friday, August 10, 2018 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Tracy Sims of the Central Baptist Church of Thornton officiating.   Burial will follow in Salem Cemetery in Freestone County. Pallbearers will be Sonny Young, Mikeal Wyatt, David Burkeen, Roger Wilcox, Troy Young, and Chris Henson.   Honorary pallbearers will be Joshua Higgins, Bryan Stevenson, Brandon Stevenson and Jason Black. Wanda was born April 7, 1938 to Carl R. Young and Julie Irene (Lummus) Young in rural Limestone County, the 4th born of their 9 children.   They lived in the Thief-Neck Community (Personville) and she attended school at Fair Oaks. Wanda was united in marriage with Raymond Bartley Latham on June 20, 1958 in Groesbeck.    Bartley passed away in 1975, so at age 37 Wanda was a widow raising four children all on her own.   She had a strong work ethic that lasted all her life.  Of all the work she had done, she spoke of enjoying her work doing upholstery at the Abco Furniture Factory the most.   In later years she worked at several stores including Joe’s Grocery “on the hill”, and as a book-keeper for Double D and then for Ruby’s convenience store, until she retired in 2017. She enjoyed refinishing furniture, and the family has benefited from some of the items she refinished.   As her health slowed down her ability for heavy-duty jobs, she enjoyed reading Billy Graham books and watching birds at the bird-feeders outside her window. Wanda was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Raymond Bartley Latham; daughter, Carla Denise Latham; grandson, William Bartley Bottoms; and granddaughter, Alisha Diane Bottoms; brothers, Lee Arnold (Red) Young, Cecil Ray (Butch) Young, Carl Dean (Turk) Young, Kenneth D. (Buster) Young, and Geney Wayne Young; and sister, Mildred Aline Burkeen. She is survived by a daughter, Stephanie Stevenson of Houston; daughter and son-in-law, Amanda and Bill Bottoms of Golden Valley, AZ; son, Raymond Latham and fiancee Candace Foley of Waco; daughter and son-in-law, Julie and Jess Higgins of Denison; six grandchildren:  Chasitie Oden of Waco, Misty Parker of Waco, Joshua Higgins of Groton, CT, Jordan Higgins of Denison, Bryan Stevenson of Houston, and Brandon Stevenson of Houston; and sisters, Pauline (Polly) Young of Groesbeck and Wretha Charlene Black of Groesbeck; and many nieces and nephews and other extended family.