Judy K. Latva

Judy Latva passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, February 24, 2024. She remained incredibly independent until the last couple weeks of life when her three-year battle with kidney and lung cancer came to an end. A debt of gratitude to the SSM Health Cancer Center and their amazing medical staff for giving her far, far longer than expected. Judy was raised in Fond du Lac and graduated from Goodrich High School. She married the love of her life, Jim (Hammer) in 1973. They started their family in 1976 with the birth of their first, and only child, Jason. It did not take her long to realize she had hit the “son lottery”. Although a biological mom to one, she was a second mom to many of Jason’s friends whom she loved like her own. She retired from Averbeck and Hammer Law Firm in…actually, no one is 100% sure she ever even retired? She would tell people she retired but it seemed like she continued going there to work. She also worked for Boda’s Restaurant up until the last few weeks of her life. Boda’s was more of a love than a job and she had her own family there between the staff and the customers. She would do adult guardianships for Fond du Lac County for those in need. She would help with friend’s taxes, notarize documents, give people rides, the list goes on and on. She was the definition of the word “selfless”. After Jim’s death in 2019, she remained in her home in Fond du Lac, and continued to live her life with zest and zeal. She loved to keep busy and was always on the go until the end. Lunches with Joyce, visiting with Bonnie, or any number of crazy excursions with her best friend, Jane. She particularly loved to travel to Green Bay to see her grandsons, Tyson and Beckett, who became her entire world and who she adored more than anyone (besides Jason). While in Green Bay, she would drive her daughter-in-law Sherie crazy, constantly telling her how lucky she was to be married to her son because he is such an amazing person and perfect in every way. Jason would always agree with his mom on these points. Sherie agreed too. Judy is survived by her amazingly handsome, intelligent, charismatic son, Jason Latva (Judy would have wanted it written this way); her daughter-in-law Sherie (Payne) Latva; and grandsons Tyson and Beckett Latva; sister-in-law Sandy Latva, many special nieces and nephews, her very special friend, Jane Boda who was by her side until the end, and her amazing neighbors, Steve and Paula Forsberg, who she considered family and were a huge reason she was able to remain in her house the entire time after Jim passed away. Judy was preceded in death by her parents Roland and Laverne (Sook) Boese, husband, Jim Latva, infant daughter, Kristine, sister, Shirley Michels, sister and brother-in-law Barbara and Ronald Tabbert, sister-in-law Esther Kivimaki, brother-in-law, Victor Kivimaki, and brother-in-law, William Latva. GATHERING: Per Judy's wishes there will be a Celebration of her Life at the Fond du Lac Eagle's Club, 515 N. Park Avenue, on Saturday, March 9th from 12:00 to 3:00. Oddly enough, her husband Jim’s Celebration of Life ceremony was on the exact same day exactly 5 years prior. There will be a short memorial service at 1:00 with lunch to follow. Cremation has taken place. No flowers please. Seriously, PLEASE, no flowers. This woman had an unnatural hatred for flowers, can’t really explain it. She was mostly normal otherwise. It saved her husband and son a boatload of money on holidays though. Memorials to the family.

Judy K. Latva

July 30, 1947 - February 24, 2024