The Obituary of Edward Latimer Sr.

Thanks to Latimer cousin and co-researcher Robin for a copy of the obituary of Edward Latimer, my wife Ellen's great grandfather which appeared in the Seaforth (Ontario, Canada) News on August 7, 1932.

Edward (pictured to the right in 1923) was born around 1851 in County Fermanagh, Ireland. He immigrated to Canada with his mother, Mary Latimer (nee Beatty) and three of his five siblings (two of his sisters remained in Ireland). The family settled in the village of Seaforth, Ontario where Edward made his living as a shoemaker.

In 1872, Edward married Theresa Sparling (nee Delmage), a widow, and accepted her four children as his own. Edward and Theresa had five additional children together before they left Seaforth and moved to Brampton, Ontario, immediately northwest of the city of Toronto. In 1917, Theresa passed away and Edward went to live with his son Edward Arthur Latimer in Orillia, Ontario. It was in Orillia that Edward died suddenly in 1932.

His obituary reads as follows:

"News of the illness and death of Mr. Edward Latimer in his 82nd year came as a surprise and shock to many friends. Mr. Latimer was a shoemaker in the Richardson shoe store (now T. Dickson's seed and feed store) for many years. His son Mr. Ed Latimer carried on a ... business in the Princess ... site. The late Mr. Latimer took ill with pneumonia while at the summer cottage of his daughter, Mrs. Mullett. He was taken to Soldiers' Memorial hospital, Orillia, last Wednesday, at which time friends were notified. He passed away in the hospital on Monday, August 1st. The remains were brought to Seaforth and a service was held in Northside United Church on Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, internment taking place in the Maitland Bank Cemetery. Mr. Latimer is survived by one son, Mr. Edward Latimer, Orillia; and four daughters, Mrs. Mullett (Lottie), Toronto; Mrs. John McIntosh (Margaret), Detroit; Tessie, who is married and living in Brampton and his step-daughter, Mrs. Baker (Rebecca), Toronto. It is almost thirty years since the Latimer family lived in Seaforth. They went to Brampton where Mrs. Latimer, who formerly was Mrs. Sparling of Seaforth, predeceased him about fifteen years ago. His mother and sister, Mrs. Webster of Wingham, also predeceased him here. While in Seaforth they resided on W. William st. for many years and also on North Main st. and James st. After Mrs. Latimer's death at Brampton, Mr. Latimer went to live at Orillia.

Below is a photo of the monument in Maitland Bank Cemetery erected on the grave of Edward and Theresa Latimer.