'Feisty' and faithful: Lansing Union Missionary Baptist Church's oldest member dies at 104
LANSING — Florence Latham arrived in Lansing in the final months of World War II, as a 27-year-old Texas native who found work as a housekeeper at the Hotel Olds in downtown Lansing, now the George Romney Building. She spent eight years there before moving to housekeeping at Michigan State University’s Abbot Hall, where she worked for nearly three decades until retiring in 1980.
But Latham, who died earlier this month one week short of her 105th birthday, is best known for her 75-year-affiliation with Lansing’s Union Missionary Baptist Church. She joined the congregation shortly after moving to Lansing, and was believed to be the oldest member in the church’s history.
She was bestowed the title “mother” for her long affiliation with the church and her impact on so many people. Although she never had any children of her own, she a god-mother to Leon and Leroy Scott.
Latham, 104, died on Aug. 14 at an assisted living facility in Auburn Hills. She was born in 1918 in Martin, Texas.
She was believed to be the congregation’s longest serving member, church Deacon Wayne Lynn said. Her impact on the community was felt long after she relocated to the facility in 2021.
Lynn, who has been with the church for about 20 years, said Latham was always a strong voice in the ministry and took on leadership roles with numerous women and girls in the congregation.
“If there was something that she could do to help them to teach them, she would do it and do it gladly,” said Mildred Phelps, Latham’s cousin.
Lynn praised Latham for her sharpness and involvement in public life even as she reached 100.
“She was feisty — you had no mistakes around understanding what she wanted, what she believed and how she felt,” he said.
Latham was honored in the church for her 100th birthday and by the Lansing City Council for her 102nd.
Latham drove into her late 90s, which Melvin Jones, former pastor of Union Missionary Baptist Church, took as a sign of her mental acuity. Jones recalled a time when he took Latham to a medical appointment.
“She carried no papers or other reminders regarding her examination, medicines or history,” he said. “She had total recall, and was able to articulate accurate detail without stuttering. I was totally amazed not only of her intellect, but of her unwavering dedication to the church.”
Latham honored Jones as her spiritually adopted son and the two shared long conversations about her journey in life and relationship to the church, he said. She was a “rare jewel” in her community and left a mark on Jones and his wife they won’t soon forget.
Godson Leon Scott said she didn’t leave her house much in her later years, although she continued to connect with community members as they took her grocery shopping or to appointments.
Leon Scott’s own mother passed away in 1986, leading him to often turn to Latham for conversation and guidance. She was known "for her ability to connect with people and had a magnetic personality that drew others to her," he said.
“She took me under her wings,” he added.
Leon Scott added that Latham was an expert on Lansing history, often recounting the area before I-96 was constructed and how the region developed over the decades. She also recounted how the city’s areas were racially divided and seeing different cultures mix over time.
Latham was always a fan of the Eastside Fish Fry, a Lansing staple that was close to where she lived on the 500 block of Hayford Avenue. Latham made sure to order her favorite of fish and chips and always tried to catch Wheel of Fortune, her favorite show.
"Mother Florence will be remembered for her open and loving nature, witty personality, and her ability to make life fun while still bringing depth and meaning to every moment," Leon Scott said.
Visitation is scheduled for noon to 6 p.m. Friday at the Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home in Pontiac.
Contact Sheldon Krause at skrause@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @sheldonjkrause.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Florence Latham, 104-year-old Lansing woman, dies
