Funeral services for Alfred John Lata, 83, Lawrence, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Episcopal Church. Burial with military honors will be in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Lata died Sunday, December 21, 2014 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
He was born on November 14, 1931 in Cleveland, Ohio, to John and Belle (Badowski) Lata. He graduated from South High School there, and received a BA in Chemistry from Princeton in 1954.
Mr. Lata served two years in the U. S. Army, and then earned his MA in Education from Western Reserve University in 1957. He taught at Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. During this time he sang under the direction of Robert Shaw. In 1965 he joined the General Chemistry Program at Kansas University.
He was one of the first to experiment with the use of computers for chemical education. He spoke on this topic at regional, national and international meetings. He served as Chairman of the ACS Division of Chemical Education’s Committee on Computer in Chemical Education. He retired from KU in 2003.
Within the Lawrence community, Alfred was best known for his voice and acting talents. He was involved with the University Theater and Lawrence Community Theater (now Theatre Lawrence) for many years. Alfred was one of the founding members of Voci de Camera, and also sang with the Lawrence Motet Singers, as well as singing for weddings and funerals.
Alfred married Mary Winston Jones on June 15, 1957. She survives of the home.
Other survived include one son, John Lata of Tallahassee, FL, and daughter, Jamie Lata of Topeka, KS, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by daughter Elizabeth Lata.
Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, where the family will receive them from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Visiting Nurses Hospice, sent in care of the funeral home.
