Jeremy Latham

Jeremy Latham, age 46, of Gatesville, passed away on Saturday, August 21, 2021.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 31, 2021, at Turnersville Cemetery.  The family will receive visitors from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Monday, August 30 at Scott’s Funeral Home in Gatesville.

Jeremy was born on March 4, 1975, in Clifton.  He grew up in the Waco area and graduated from Bosqueville High School in 1993.  Soon thereafter, he began pursuing his dream to become a professional horse jockey.  However, an abnormal growth pattern in his hip joints deemed him unable to ride at the professional level.  Refusing to allow that condition to stop him, he agreed to allow both his hips to be replaced at the tender age of 21.  By sheer determination and the grace of God, Jeremy became the first known horse jockey to ride professionally with two artificial hips.  He went on to ride at major tracks in Texas, Louisiana, California, Illinois, Oklahoma, Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, New Jersey and West Virginia.  After numerous injuries ending his racing career, he eventually turned to ranching in Gatesville.  He was a successful cattleman, rancher, breeder and trainer and went out of his way to help people, too numerous to mention.  His infectious personality and wit had a positive impact on many people’s lives.  Jeremy’s last gifts to mankind was his agreement to donate his organs, eyes and tissues to help others improve or save their lives.  There is no way to measure the positive impact that decision will have on the recipients.  Whomever receives his heart will be the luckiest human on the face of the earth.  

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, J. R. Latham and maternal grandfather, Rudy Tatum, both of Gatesville.

Jeremy is survived by his mother and stepfather, Juli Rhodes and husband, Jeff of Gatesville; father and stepmother, David Latham and wife, Stephanie of Boerne; sister and sister-in-law, Kasey and Ariel Sutton of Pflugerville; sisters, Kendle Rhodes of Austin and Erin Miller of Boerne; maternal grandmother, Joby Tatum of Gatesville; paternal grandmother, Nina Latham of Gatesville; maternal grandparents, Glen Doege and Brenda Sorbel of Universal City; aunts and uncles, Preston and Sarah Tatum of Geronimo, Kyle and Lori Latham of Gatesville, Shirley Latham Buster of Waxahachie, Beverly and Kevin Sparks of New Boston; niece, Lily; nephews, Shepherd, Southern and Reagan; as well as numerous cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family has designated memorials be made to further the ministry in Jeremy’s name to Live Oak Baptist Church, 113 FM 107, Gatesville, TX 76528.