Ryan Latner Obituary

Ryan Latner
08/23/1990 - 10/21/2024
Ryan Dean Latner, 34, left this earth in the early morning hours of October 21, 2024. Ryan was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 7 years old. His poor little body just kept taking a beating, including a hip replacement, the loss of both feet, neuropathy, infections, and ultimately, kidney failure requiring dialysis.

Ryan was born on August 23,1990 in Midland, Texas. Ryan attended Burnet Elementary, Goddard Junior High, and Midland High School. He graduated with his GED through Midland College. Ryan took some classes in auto mechanics at Midland College and worked at Auto Zone for several years.

Ryan was survived by his "Aunt Mom" Dawn & Uncle Corey Sly, of Midland, as well as his mother, April Latner of Lubbock, his father, Roy Latner of Breckenridge, and his sister, Justina Latner of Yuma, AZ. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews, Lucas & Zoe Alvarado and Lyric & Urijah Falks, as well as his "Sly" family, Janson, Justus, Julie, Mike, Greg, Laura, Jonathan, Lisa, Preston, Kaylee, Liam, and Jax, all of Midland. He was preceded in death by his grandmothers, "Mamaw" Claudette Horstman and Elaine Sly, both of Midland, and his great-grandmother, Maude Garrett, of Stanton.

Ryan was very funny. He always had a joke to share. He could also do many voice impersonations, including Elvis, Arnold Swarzenegger, Christopher Walken, and everyone's favorite, Elmo. Ryan could solve the Rubik's cube in 2-3 minutes. He was also good at ventriloquism and had a couple of ventriloquist dummies, Sonny & Lazlo. Adults and kids loved it when Ryan would put on his "dummy" act for them. Ryan also loved magic tricks. When he was a little boy, he always had a small magic trick, or two, he carried with him to surprise and delight the people he saw. During his teen years, Ryan was a bowler in the USBC youth bowling league. He was also a USBC Level I Bowling Coach. Ryan was an extreme Batman fan. He had Batman tattoos, T-shirts, jackets, hats, scarves, socks, wall art, Legos, Matchbox cars, figurines, and many other Batman items.

Due to Ryan's disabilities and health needs during these past couple of years, it became necessary for him to live at Focused Care at Midland. Ryan made many friends with both the staff and residents. The people at Focused Care were his extended family. We are very grateful for the love, care, and friendship they gave him. One of the things the Administrator shared with us is that Ryan would hide gnome figurines all over the facility for the staff and residents to discover. She also shared that Ryan said his "dummy," Lazlo, ate socks and that's why many of the residents did not have socks. Unlike Ryan, many residents of nursing facilities do not have family that visits them and takes care of their needs. Because of this, we would like to request that in lieu of flowers, please donate a package or two of men's and/or women's socks to the residents of Focused Care at Midland, 2000 N. Main St., Midland, Texas 79705.

Because Ryan always enjoyed the parties and celebrations they had during his time at Focused Care, a casual come-as-you-are Celebration of Life for Ryan will be held at Focused Care at Midland at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2024.