Ronald Everett Latham

Ronald Everett Latham, age 69, of Boone, Iowa, passed away quietly in his sleep at home on the morning of October 19, 2026.

Born on September 8, 1957, in Boone County to George and Linda (Jones) Latham, Ron spent his life in the fertile hills west of town, learning to farm alongside his parents on their dairy just off Highway 30. He graduated from Boone High School in 1975, where he was active in FFA and proud to help bring in the morning milking before class. After school, Ron took over Latham Dairy, building it up with patience and steady hands for nearly five decades.

Ron’s daily rhythms rarely changed: cows before dawn, chores until dusk, and always time for others. Every Tuesday afternoon, he could be found stocking shelves and sharing kind words at the Madison Street Food Pantry, where he was known for remembering folks’ birthdays and keeping the coffee hot. On Wednesday nights, he bowled second on the team at Heritage Lanes, his laugh easy and his encouragement steady, no matter the score.

Ron’s life was shaped by both challenge and hope. After his first marriage to Pamela Reed ended, he found happiness again with Martha Jensen, with whom he built a big, blended family. He loved Sunday dinners, boisterous card games, and the chaos of grandkids underfoot. He was a quiet man, given more to listening than talking, but his advice, when asked, was usually practical and sometimes wise. Ron loved old tractors, country music on the radio, and coffee sweetened with too much cream.

He is survived by his wife, Martha (Jensen) Latham of Boone; sons, Kevin Latham of Boone and Sean Jensen (Andrea) of Woodward; daughters, Melissa Latham of Cedar Rapids, Emily Jensen-Clark (Derek) of Ames, and stepson Ethan Jensen of Boone; grandchildren, Tyler, Lydia, Peyton, and Marissa; his sister, Bonnie Taylor of Ogden; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Dennis Latham.

Visitation for Ron will be held on Friday, October 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sorenson Family Funeral Home. Services will be on Saturday, October 24, at 10 a.m. at Grace Methodist Church in Boone, with burial to follow at East Lawn Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Madison Street Food Pantry in Ron’s memory.