On September 11, 2024, Milwaukee lost a community leader and true servant of the Lord, Dr. Bobbie Jean Lathan, at age 83.
With God as her guide, Bobbie Lathan committed her life to serving with compassion. Lathan was born in Pine Bluff, AR, and relocated to Milwaukee as a child. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1959.
In 1972, the Miller Brewery Company (now Molson Coors) hired Lathan to work in the factory. She is regarded as one of the first women to work on the assembly line. Her hire set a historical precedent for women factory workers. Lathan retired after 40 years of service.
Working at the Miller Brewery Company was a turning point in Lathan’s life. She purchased a home for her children and provided a better life for her family. Her new career also unlocked an opportunity for her to see the world.
Her travel adventures have took her to South Korea, Africa, Japan, England, and Israel. Lathan also traveled with a mission group to Johannesburg, South Africa, to support the Ox and Cart initiative. While she cut back on her international travel in later years, Lathan continued to enjoy exploring the city outdoors.
Lathan had done extensive work with the Wisconsin Baptist Convention and made invaluable contributions to several auxiliary groups. She was also a member of the Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA), a faith-based association for meeting planners and suppliers.
She also served as First Lady at New Grace Baptist Church under the leadership of her late husband, Reverend James Lathan. As First Lady, Lathan was instrumental in helping her husband pastor the church and support the members of their congregation. In the 1990’s Lathan was elected President of the Interdenominational Alliance of Ministers’ Wives and Widows of Wisconsin.
Lathan received an honorary Doctorate in Human Letters from the Tennessee School of Religion in 1995 for her remarkable commitment to service. She also volunteered with homeless shelters and the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper in her spare time. She was also a recipient of the Black Excellence Award in the Religion category in 2024.
Lathan once said she received her strength through her relationship with God. She was a member of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church.
As the mother of two children, Lathan held dear the memory of her youngest son, who passed away in 2016. She was blessed to be surrounded by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 1825 W. Hampton Ave. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at the church at 11:00 a.m. The family is served by Northwest Funeral Chapel, 6630 W. Hampton Ave.
