Mary Ann Latham

Centralia resident Mary Ann Latham, age 86, passed away at Sharon Care Center in Centralia on March 15, 2017.

Mary Ann Latham was the second child born to Luella Bowling a home maker, and Irvin Shinners a banker, in Aberdeen on Feb. 28, 1931. Her family moved to Chehalis in 1937. In 1949 she graduated from W.F. West H.S. and remained her whole life in Centralia-Chehalis. She worked at the Lewis Co. Medical Bureau until retiring at age 51. In 1958 she married Gordon Smith, owner of the Smith's Richfield Station on Main and Market. During their working years they pursued their mutual interest in real estate through renting, buying, and constructing several houses, and building an apartment on Adams Ave. She was an artist, and her collection of stained glass creations in her home attest to her exceeding talent with glass which was her forte. In 1981 she married Wilford Latham, former Lewis Co. Roads Superintendent. They were happily retired on Graf Rd on an acre with trees, creek, barn, stained glass workshop, and beavers. In 1990 illness took Willie, and a few years later she moved to her current home at Cook's Hill Landing. She is preceded by her sister Joy, and survived by her only child Mike Smith. He is especially grateful to her for making him practice his Hammond organ lessons while growing up, never letting him quit. A cedar switch always hung in the kitchen and her motto was "You can either practice, or you can get switched and then practice!" Music became his lifelong career. She will be in loving memory and dearly missed.

A viewing will be held in Newell-Hoerling’s Chapel on March 23 2017 at 1:00 pm.

A Graveside Service will be held at Mountain View Cemetery on March 24 2017 at 10:30 am. 

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