Obit: Lato, Joseph Anthony (1928 - 2020)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Lato, Kadolph, Petke, Fravert, Dion, Robl, Clabots, Grabowski, Long, Purkapile, Zajak, Sandhiyagu

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/23/2020

Lato, Joseph Anthony (29 April 1928 – 20 September 2020)

Joseph A. Lato, 92, of Thorp, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, September 20, 2020. Visitation will be held at Thorp Funeral Home on Sunday, September 27, 2020 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a rosary service held at 7 p.m.. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 28, 2020 at St. Bernard-St. Hedwig's Catholic Church in Thorp. Rev. Baskaran Sandhiyagu will officiate, and burial will follow in New St. Hedwig's Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers will be his grandsons: Brent Lato, Jason Lato, Travis Petke, Nathan Petke, Quentin Fravert, Ken Kadolph, Kurt Kadolph and Kevin Kadolph.

Joseph Anthony Lato was born on April 29, 1928 to Felix and Josephine (Budzinski) Lato. He was raised on the family farm in the Town of Reseburg, rural Thorp, and received his education at Goff School. Joe was united in marriage to Agnes C. Karpinski on August 28, 1951. He farmed for a short time and then began installing barn cleaners and silo unloaders. Joe soon started his own business, Joe A. Lato Company, later Lato Construction, building sheds and barns around Central Wisconsin. Later he expanded into manufacturing barn equipment, which became Thorp Barn Equipment, and finally Thorp Equipment, manufacturing stainless steel products. Joe retired in 1991, and his son, Roy, took over the family business. Joe's wife, Agnes, went to be with the Lord on May 22, 2013. Joe later married Margaret Robl on October 30, 2016. Margaret went to be with the Lord on April 13, 2020.

Joe was a devoted Christian who loved spending time with his family and friends. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, growing roses, playing cards and socializing.

He will be missed by his 5 children: Roy (Judy) Lato of Thorp; Jean (Randy) Kadolph of Waupaca, Joan (Fred) Petke of Thorp, Mary (Fred) Fravert of Merrill, and Rita Dion of Dresser; 7 step-children: Keene (Debra) Robl, Mark Robl, Alan (Tammy) Robl, Anthony (Jeri) Robl, Jr., Ann (Chris) Clabots, Colleen Robl, and Rita Robl; 13 grandchildren, Kurt, Ken, Kevin, Nathan, Travis, Quentin, Katrina, Kayla, Jason, Brent, Ashley, Dave, and Dan; several great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents; his wives: Agnes C. Lato and Margaret E. Lato; one son: Ted Lato; one son-in-law: Bob Dion; one grandson: Derrick Fravert; two great grandchildren: Zendaya Kadolph and Jackson Petke; 5 sisters: Stella Lato in infancy, Mary Grabowski, Rose Long, Nellie Purkapile and Ann Zajak; and 3 brothers: Vincent, Paul and Stanley Lato.