Dated in April 2005

Notes from the Noank Jail

by Ed Johnson

Family Teamwork

Over 25 years ago, when my wife and I first moved to Noank, we became involved as volunteers with the Noank Volunteer Fire Department as well as joining the Noank Baptist Church. In the process, we came to know Richard and Joan Latham, who were…and are… very active leaders in the local community.

Richard had grown up in Noank, although he claims that he is not a true Noank Native, as he was technically born in New London (To be a true Noank Native, you apparently have to be born on the kitchen floor of a Noank house, assisted by a midwife?). He graduated from Fitch, served in the Army and worked at Dow Chemical in production and pipefitting maintenance from the day they opened in 1952 until his retirement. He served 53 years with the Noank Fire Department and as their Chief for 30 years, as President of Groton Fire Officers and as a Life Member of New London County Fire Chiefs. He served as Treasurer of the Noank Baptist Church and as a Trustee during the period when the church building was rebuilt following a disastrous fire in 1959.

Joan (and her sister, Cynthia) moved to this area as teenagers and after she and Richard married, Joan became a “Noank housewife and mother” raising two children, Mark and Johanna. In the process, Joan became heavily involved in helping run the local Brownie Scouts, followed by the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, where her children participated. In addition, Joan became actively involved with Church related activities, including the Ladies Aid Society and as President of Fidelis. We got to know her from attending many of the Church suppers which Joan helped to prepare and serve.

Despite all of this community activity, what drew our attention the most was the love, support and positive attention that we witnessed Richard and Joan bestow upon their children and later, their eight grandchildren. This was most evident in their major efforts to try and attend every possible athletic contest that involved these kids. And I am not just talking about local Groton-Stonington-Ledyard-Waterford-New London or even Hartford area contests. There were, additionally, many trips to watch contests in Worcester, West Point, Pennsylvania and Delaware. And although there were a few times when Richard was unable to attend meets because of his employment duties, Joan always attended, frequently in the company of her sister, Cynthia Borden, an equally strong supporter for her own children. Joan and Cynthia always made sure that all the kids on the team bus each received an apple and a cookie for any athletic game trip.

Richard retired as Noank Fire Chief several years ago at perhaps the largest retirement dinner I have ever attended. When giving a testimonial to his father, Mark Latham, who lettered in three sports while at Fitch, remarked on the strong, constant support that he had received from his parents, including at his athletic games and that “they were always there.” This spirit has carried on to the grandchildren, including Sarah and Aubrey Latham, outstanding in Basketball and Benjamin Latham, outstanding in Track and Field.

And, there is yet another aspect of support…a very special one…that Richard and Joan have extended to their children, grandchildren and some neighborhood friends’ children as well. For the past 30 years, Richard and Joan have taken kids to the Walt Disney World Park in Florida. If you ever want to hear them wax with endless enthusiasm on a particular subject, this is it, hands down. They know all the rides by heart, when they were rebuilt, when the new ones were added, which year the monorail broke down, how fast it was repaired or replaced, what flights and what hotels are best, etc. It is a known fact that they have influenced many other local families to attend…which they have…repeatedly. And, not surprisingly, Joan claims that Richard himself is “the biggest kid of all.”

Richard and Joan hearken back to the older days of the “Noank Families.” Their values, and the values they have instilled in their following generations, are lasting and the basis for hard work, personal achievement and success. And while they are not the only parents and grandparents who love and support their kids, Richard and Joan are prime examples of leadership by good example. In a world now complicated by war and technology, their uncomplicated attitudes give us hope for the future. For this, my wife and I shall always be grateful, despite the fact that we were once stuck in a tunnel ride for younger kids at Walt Disney World and had to listen to little singing mechanical elves shrieking endlessly, “Its a small world after all!”