Obituary of Roxanne Bonnie Latimer

Roxanne Bonnie Latimer Roxanne died in her home on September 29th, 2022 at age 67, attended by her wife and loving friends. She lived with sarcoidosis for 29 years, outliving her initial prognosis by 27 years. She had a heart transplant August 10th, 2022. Unfortunately, she experienced devastating complications. Roxanne was born October 31st, 1954 in Queens, New York, to Richard Leon Latimer of Chicago, Illinois and Sarah Isabelle Latimer (Harwell) of Petersburg, Virginia. She was the third of six children and grew up in the historic Queensbridge Houses (https://qns.com/2022/03/lawmaker-queensbridge-environmental-injustices/, March 11, 2022). Roxanne grew up in a loving home filled with music. She began school at Public School PS 111. Because of their good behavior and intelligence, she and her siblings, were chosen to integrate PS 6, an all-white elementary school on Steinway Street in Astoria, Queens. To support her children, Roxanne’s mother became a paraprofessional at the school. Roxanne was also bussed to Woodside, New York to integrate the all-white Junior High School JHS 125. There, she learned to play the viola. She and six other orchestra members played at Greek Orthodox churches in Woodside during the Christmas holidays. Roxanne graduated from Long Island City High School. She was orchestra section leader for viola and enjoyed playing for school musicals. One summer she joined the Queens High School Summer Orchestra and performed The Music Man. At graduation, she received her school’s Music Award. She was also crowned Rose Queen at the Queens Botanical Gardens in Flushing, Queens. Roxanne then attended Queens College and became involved in sports and physical education. She played on the varsity field hockey team and the junior varsity basketball team. During this time she met many female athletes who remained life-long friends. On leaving college, she worked in retail and in neighborhood youth programs in Queensbridge, Ravenswood, and Astoria. Roxanne followed in her parent’s footsteps by joining the army. Her basic training was at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. Her advanced individual training (AIT) was at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. She graduated as a Nuclear Weapons Specialist. Roxanne’s first duty station was at Fort Lewis in Seattle, Washington. She received her first Army Commendation for her expertise in training ordinance units to use and maintain their nuclear artillery. Her next duty station was in Muenster-Westfalen, Germany. She was thrilled because this was the first time she worked with actual nuclear weapons instead of trainers. Roxanne was part of a team that traveled in the British Sector working on the Lance Missile with the Brits and the Nike Hercules system with the Belgians. These missiles were attached to rockets and ready to go. They were raised and lowered every day as per protocol. Her job was to put a hinge on the nose cone, open it, remove a component, test it, and reinstall it. After her tour in Germany, Roxanne returned to the States and was stationed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, where she received her second Army Commendation. While in the military, Roxanne married a fellow soldier in order to protect herself and her husband from dishonorable discharge. At that time, just the suspicion of being gay could lead to a dishonorable discharge and loss of military benefits including final honors. After six and a half years, she left the army for the civilian sector. During this time Roxanne lived with family in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and was able to meet and enjoy her many cousins, aunts and uncles, most of whom she barely knew, since she had grown up in New York. She got a job as a postal worker and eventually got her first apartment on Chicago’s near north side, after living in barracks most of her career. She made many a friend working as a letter carrier. She and her friends really enjoyed the work and loved to attend the concerts of Patty LaBelle, Phyllis Hyman, and other famous rhythm and blues vocalists. Bonnie traveled to New York City at least once a year to visit her mom and family. She believed it was important to keep in touch with family and loved to fly. On returning, she always had to have a ‘dirty water dog’ from a street vendor. In 1992, Roxanne met Veronika Kolder, MD, who lived at one of the addresses on her mail route. In 1994, the two committed to a lifelong bond with a ceremony that united all their family and friends. They moved to Iowa, welcoming their daughter, Sarahann Latimer Kolder, in 1995. Roxanne was a devoted mother and formally adopted Sarahann in 2005. She deliberately waited until Sarahann was old enough to understand the meaning of the adoption. In 2009, when gays and lesbians in Iowa won the civil right to marriage, Roxanne and Veronika formalized their union. Roxanne finished her college degree in information technology (IT) through American Intercontinental University at age 50. She set up and ran the IT services for two businesses, while parenting a teenager. She also taught seniors to use their computers and smart phones. She was a passionate fan of professional and college women’s basketball, particularly the University of Iowa women’s basketball team. Roxanne was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Sheridan Nina; brother. Peter Glen; Uncle Harold, who was a second father; and beloved aunts. She leaves behind spouse, Dr. Veronika Kolder; daughter, Sarahann Latimer Kolder; siblings, Richard Leon Latimer, Jr., Trevor (Darlene) Latimer, and Hester Gia Latimer; nieces Petera, Rebecca (Judd), Sonia, Shanee, Alice and nephews Max, Steven, and Josh; and many treasured cousins, great-nieces, great-nephews, and friends. A memorial service with military honors will be held outdoors at Roxanne and Veronika’s home on Sunday, October 9th, 2022 at 2 PM. It will be preceded by an hour of visiting from 1 PM to 2 PM, and followed by coffee. The address is 1430 Camp Cardinal Road, Iowa City, IA, 52246. In lieu of flowers, please consider -helping with family travel costs by writing a check to Veronika Kolder with memo ‘Roxanne’s Memorial Fund’, or -making a donation to Roxanne’s favorite charity, an orphanage in Kathmandu, Nepal: House with Heart, https://housewithheart.org/. Roxanne’s army roommate, Colleen Boland, retired Senior Master Sergeant of the Air Force, is Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the organization. Veronika wishes to thank family and friends for the outpouring of love, support, food, counseling, mowing, spiritual and in-home care they received during Roxanne’s illness and after her death. Nikki Julian, a close family friend, was at Roxanne and Veronika’s side throughout Roxanne’s final months. Roxanne got excellent care at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and through Iowa City Hospice. We especially thank Drs. Alvarez, Ruiz, Yumul-Non, and Panos, and Roxanne’s hospice nurse, Precious Abakah.