Martin Easter LaVerne “Jeff” Lattery was born in Stettler, Ab. on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1911 and attended school in Halkirk, Ab. Jeff left home at an early age to seek his fortune. Some of the jobs that he worked on were as a chauffeur for Brewsters at the Banff Springs Hotel, and cutting brush with a caterpillar and plough horses for the construction of the Banff-Jasper highway.
On September 9, 1939 he joined the II Corp Troops in Calgary, Ab. He was posted overseas to the United Kingdom and served in Continental Europe. One of his jobs in the war as dispatcher was very dangerous by times followed by tedium. Jeff also trained as a mechanic and carpenter during this time.
While he was stationed in the UK, Jeff met and married Irene Edwards. They were married on January 8, 1941 at Red Hill, Surrey and had 3 children born in the UK. Upon his return to Canada Irene and the three children joined Jeff in Lacombe, Ab. where he worked as a mechanic in Red Deer, then Lacombe. In 1949 they moved to Fort St. John, B.C., then to Spirit River, Ab. where Jeff worked as a mechanic and carpenter. They were blessed with 5 more children during these years. The family moved to a homestead east of Woking, Ab. where they farmed for years.
Jeff Lattery passed away on January 21, 1977 and is interred at the Spirit River Legion Cemetery.
Sources: Burnt Embers p. 307