John W. Lattner

John W. Lattner, 72, of Peosta, Iowa, passed away on Aug. 20, 2024 at Mercy One Hospital in Dubuque after a short illness.

Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 John F. Kennedy Road, where there will be a prayer service held at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will take place at 10 a.m. with Rev. Dave Schatz, Thursday, Aug. 29, at St. Columbkille Catholic Church. Interment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Key West. Military Honors will be accorded by the Air Force Honor Guard.

The son of Loras and Helen Ann Lattner, John was born Oct. 28, 1951. and grew up in Dubuque as the oldest of five siblings. John was educated primarily by the superb Presentation Sister teachers at St Columbkilles Grade school. He graduated with the Wahlert Catholic High School class of 1969 followed by the United States Air Force Academy class of 1973. After serving his country at several bases in America and Japan, he returned to Iowa and worked in the banking industry, retiring as an Iowa State Bank examiner in 2014.

On May 23, 1992, John married Mary Elizabeth (Arnold) Lattner “Beth” and they had two sons Tyler and Drew.

John Lattner was generally a soft-spoken, low-profile gentleman whose life was centered on his immediate and extended family. He was a talented person with many accomplishments but he modestly never dwelt on the past. As a toddler, John had his picture taken at the Saint Columbkilles Holy Name Society breakfast posing with the 1953 Heisman Trophy winner from Notre Dame, Johnny Lattner. His life in the limelight peaked at age two when that photo was plastered in newspapers across the Midwest. Later in life, our Johnny held his high school’s record for the longest football touchdown pass of 96 yards, but in his unassuming manner he always pointed out that he only threw it five yards and Bob Boleyn ran the other 91 yards.

John preferred to live a faith-based life of service to family, friends and country. Ultimately, his greatest enjoyment came from his sons and his grandchildren. He faced his faults and hardships. Then he died a happy and fulfilled man.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Tyler and his sister Lynne Lattner Prendergast.

John is survived by his son Drew (Deidre) Lattner, his grandchildren Elizabeth, Genevieve, Anna and an unborn baby (due Nov 2024), his stepsons Brian (Laurie) and Jonathan Arnold, his brothers Mike (Claire) and Tom (Tammy) Lattner of Dubuque, his sister Mary Ann (Harlan) Roth of Cainesville, Missouri, his Aunt Esther Fagan as well as several cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Dubuque Dream Center.