Roy L. Lathrom Jr. went to be with his Lord on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at his home surrounded by his family.
He had fought a valiant and courageous battle with congestive heart failure for many years. He won!
He was born in Spokane, Washington, on October 23, 1941, to Roy L. and Viola I. Lathrom. They later divorced and Viola married Robert G. Caine, who raised Roy and his older brother David as his own. The family lived in Spokane; Silverton, Colorado; Salt Lake City; and La Sal, Utah, and finally moved to Moab, where Roy entered his junior year in high school. He met Pauline Thompson and they went together through their junior and senior years, getting married right out of high school in July 1960. They made their home in Moab. To them were born three children: Lori Lee, Gregory Lynn and Jeffery Loren. In his younger years, he was part of the local Jaycees, was in the Toastmasters and helped coach his two small boys’ football team.
Roy went to work for J.W. Corbin, who owned the Midland Telephone Co., in September of 1961. He started as a “worm” on the line crew. He did various jobs there, retiring in 1992 as a construction inspector-splicer. He loved his work in telephony and after he retired from the telephone company, he worked for Volt Telcom and then later was the manager for Dasco Inc., putting telephone lines in for the local telephone company. He oversaw the installation of the fiber optic line between Thompson and Moab. He ended that career in December of 2001.
Roy had many interests and hobbies. He could do just about anything he set his mind to, from building houses to doing electrical work. He kept everything working like clockwork. He liked to fish, especially at Dark Canyon Lake in the La Sals. He liked to hunt and he bowled league for many years – but his favorite pastime was building motors for race cars, doing mechanics and working on pet projects.
Roy had a soft spot in his heart for young people and mentored quite a few of them as he was helping them to learn to build motors, rebuild carburetors and set timing for them.
Roy had a generous and kind spirit. He had a lot of love in him. He loved God, his family, his friends and his country.
He is survived by his wife Pauline; children, Lori (Nick) Davis, Gregory (Crissie) Lathrom and Jeff (Michelle), Lathrom; grandchildren, Melissa Davis (Hank), Nicklis (Kim) Davis, Amanda (Jared) Waldron, Joshua Lathrom, Sinda Sakala, Sarah Lathrom, Ciara Shay and Jesse Lathrom; great-grandchildren, Chad and Kasen Davis, Taya and Avery Lathrom, Kai and Dax Waldron, Caleb, Bella and Stockton Sakala, and Kristian, Xavier and Kalista Lafoon; a sister, Patricia Evans, and her husband Paul Rice; a brother, Ed (Miriam) Caine; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins who loved him and will miss him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Viola Caine, and Roy L. Lathrom; brothers, David Caine, and Robert D. “Buddy” Caine; sister, Bonnie Rae Lathrom, father- and mother-in-law Emanuel and Elsie Thompson; sisters-in-law Muriel Devereaux and Lois Weis; and brother-in-law Jim Renfro. Services will be held at the Canyonlands Fellowship Church (MARC) on March 25 at 10 a.m., with a graveside service to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request that donations be made to Grand County Hospice, 450 W. Williams Way, Moab UT 84532.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.SpanishValleyMortuary.com.
