Friend Pays Tribute to Lemont's 'Go-To Guy' Keith Latz

The Lemont Community and the many organizations that Keith Latz kept so near and dear to his heart over the past 30-plus years lost one of its most positive contributors to the Lemont community this past week. If something needed to get done involving one of the many organizations within Lemont, Keith Latz was the one to get involved in various leadership positions over his many years of volunteerism. Keith was that “go-to” person that would lead people by example while rolling up his sleeves and getting directly involved to make things better for everyone.

Keith Latz was known by many, receiving high praise for his loyalty and professionalism as one of the community leader’s people could depend on in his church, as Village of Lemont Trustee, the Lemont Fire Protection District, and many other organizations. With that visibility brings many heavy hearts and feelings of extreme loss today that those organizations past and present including the community residents as a whole will feel for some time with his sudden passing this past weekend.

Keith could always be found somewhere in Lemont, as his most recent contributions even just days before his death were broadcasting Lemont High School Football in downstate Decatur on Friday night, and then following up on Saturday with a busy holiday weekend helping to organize and manage the Lemont Labor Day Parade as part of his Lemont Fire District Trustee responsibilities. Another weekend of volunteering and giving back to the community Keith Latz loved—Lemont.

Keith loved sports of all kind that included coaching basketball at St. Cyril’s Church for several years with his life-long childhood friend Dr. Glenn Groselak. Almost more than 20 years ago, Keith became involved with Lemont Community TV Channel 6 and other longtime Lemont Community contributors such as the late Vic Markiewicz and Bob Michalek, and still heavily involved volunteers Josh Poellot and Earl Anderson. For the past several years, Keith had been working side by side with Channel 6 veterans Terry Duffy and Al Bromberek, and many more Channel 6 volunteers to bring Lemont High School sports to the Lemont community each week spanning multiple LHS sports which include Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, and Volleyball.

He will be missed most by his wonderful family first and foremost, as the reach of his absence will be felt immeasurably for years to come by all Lemonters who had the pleasure of knowing him and the many organizations that are better today as a result of Keith Latz’s presence and involvement.

— The preceding was submitted as a tribute to Keith Latz, by longtime friend Terry Duffy. If you have memories of Keith you'd like to share, email them to lauren.traut@patch.com.