Luther Jatho

Luther Lee Jatho, 84, of St. Petersburg, Florida, formerly of Fulton, passed away Wednesday, August 13, 2014, at Palms of Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. Lee was born on January 7, 1930, in Fulton, Mo. He was the middle child of Albert Jatho and Virginia Morrison Jatho. After high school, he attended Westminster College for two years, and then served in the Army during the Korean War in Seoul, Korea from 1953 to 1954, as a company clerk on loan to the US Air Force. Upon returning stateside and receiving an honorable discharge for his service to the nation, he settled back in Fulton to care for his mother while working the family farm. He also returned to school and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business from the University of Missouri. Lee's mother passed away in February 1963. Later that same year, while on vacation in Florida, Lee met Nella Mae Brewer from West Virginia. The couple married in December 1963 in St. Petersburg and returned to Fulton, Mo., where he and Nella Mae worked on the family farm until Lee turned 38. The family then moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., where Lee resided for the rest of his life. He secured a job with the Pinellas County Health Department and worked there for 30 years, retiring in 1996 as supervisor of environmental health. Lee enjoyed travel, gardening, music, the Tampa Bay Rays and Lightning, and his family. He was a caring and loving grandfather, a devoted husband, and nurturing father. He is survived by: his wife of 50 years, Nella Mae Jatho; daughters, Virginia Keith and Krista Cala; son, Paul Jatho; sister, Joyce Austin of Williamsburg, Mo.; and sister-in-law, Mirofora Jatho of Fulton, Mo.; and four grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Glen Jatho. He will be deeply missed and always remembered by all who knew him for his kind and loving nature. Services were held at St. Petersburg's Memorial Park Funeral Home on Monday, August 18, 2014, at 11 a.m.