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Archery loses a lifelong supporter, heaven gains a shining star
Author and marketing professional Richard L. "Dick" Lattimer, who for 23 years managed the advertising and public relations duties for archery pioneer Fred Bear and Bear Archery and for ten years led the primary trade association for the archery industry, died September 6 following an extensive illness. He was 75.
Lattimer was inducted into the Archery Hall of Fame in 1999 and also served as its president for two years.
Born in South Bend, Indiana December 6, 1935, Lattimer was a proud Hoosier and 1957 graduate of Indiana University. He was working for a South Bend advertising agency handling multiple accounts as a photographer and copywriter when went to work for Bear Archery in 1966 at its Grayling, Michigan location. The company moved to Gainesville, Florida in 1979, where he remained in charge of marketing and advertising until 1989, just months after the death of Mr. Bear.
In addition to the multiple annual catalogs and ads Lattimer produced and directed during his tenure at Bear Archery, perhaps his best-known and most effective advertising campaign centered around the "Become a Two-Season Hunter" theme. The sport of bowhunting was gaining both credibility among hunters and an unprecedented growth in the mid-1970s, as state agencies enacted liberal archery deer seasons and hunters discovered they could expand their time afield by taking up bowhunting.
After leaving Bear Archery, Lattimer was hired in 1990 to serve as the first paid staff member of the Archery Manufacturers Organization (later becoming the Archery Manufacturers and Merchants Organization and later yet the Archery Trade Association) where he served as president until 2000.
While heading AMO, one of Lattimer's prime accomplishments was the creation of the "Save Our Heritage" program, which, through contributions from member archery equipment manufacturers built a significant "War Chest" of funding to be used to promote archery and bowhunting as well as to defend all hunting methods against the threat of voter initiatives launched by anti-hunting and animal rights groups seeking to end specific hunting seasons or methods.
A prolific writer, historian and incorrigible note-taker whose Gainesville garage overflowed with boxfuls of memos, photographs, catalogs and other items from his years working for the iconic Fred Bear, Lattimer transformed his passion for archery and respect for his longtime friend and employer into two successful books, I Remember Papa Bear (2005) and Hunt With Fred Bear (2006). His fascination with outer space, respect for country's astronaut program and the U.S. space program resulted in two books, All We Did Was Fly To The Moon (1985) and Space Station Friendship (1988).
Lattimer published The Jesus Digest: What you never knew about the everyday life of Jesus in 2005 and also wrote poetry under the pseudonym of Joshua Carpenter, his interpretation of the real name of the itinerant preacher from Nazareth.
In the 1970s Lattimer served as Television Chairman of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and Co-Chairman of its full Communications Committee in Washington, D.C. He was also a member of the Hunting and Conservation Committee of the National Rifle Association, on their Bowhunting Sub-committee, and on the NRA Public Affairs Committee. He also served on the Board of Directors of the United Conservation Alliance.
Mr. Lattimer is survived by his wife, Alice, and three children, Michael Lattimer (Lora) of Gainesville, FL, Elizabeth Golnick (Chuck) of Grayling, MI, and Kevin Scott Lattimer (Afie) of Potomac, MD, five grand children, and two great grand children.
A memorial service for Dick Lattimer was held Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011 at the Cedar Key (FL) United Methodist Church.
--J.R. Absher
Well-known industry insider, writer and all around good-guy, Absher is founder of The Outdoor Pressroom
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to read tributes from Frank Addington & Dick
Mauch
Dick Lattimer passes at 75
Les Brown remembers Dick Lattimer........
It is with fond memories I remember my brief incounters with Dick
Lattimer, mostly during my term as president or board member of the
Professional Archers Association, and this continued through three Archery Hall
of Fame Banquets .I always found Dick an easy fellow to talk with, a
good listener and extremely good natured. After every Bear employee retirement
mail from him would find itself forwarded to me by some other knowing archer and often they would carry the news of the passing of some one I
had known. Some close to home, some very good friends and archery
associates. It was one of the caring things he did.
When occasionally traveling down I-75 I would always be aware of passing
Bear Archery and thinking of archery friends that had been t here. As the
trees grew and hid the new factory from the I-75 express way the people
disappeared also.
Sometimes we are drawn to a place and don't know why, so I don't know
why I was drawn to Cedar Key while staying in Crystal River,
Florida. At the time I thought it was because of the isolation and
the weather. I drove up to Cedar Key several times just to walk in the
city park and feel the wind and air in my face and watch the sea gulls
and waves. I did not know there was also an well known archer there who was in a
great location to share his archery experiences with his friends and the
world and even outer space.
Dick Lattimer is to be commended for stepping up to the plate and
continuing his part in "The Dream" as set forth by Archery Hall of Fame
founder, Dave StaplesI.
On behalf of the past Board of directors and membership of the
Professional Archers Association, many of who never were aware of the
part Dick played in our tournament sponsorships,
I offer to his family and friends around the world our condolences, and
to his wife, Alice, we thank you for sharing so much of his time
with the sport of Archery.
Leslie (Lewis) Brown
Past President
Professional Archers Association
Ann Clark writes.....Enclosed
please find a donation to the hall in memory of Dick Lattimer, It hardly
seems enough for all he has been to the Industry.
A note from Maryanne Schumm .......Enclosed
is a donation in memory of Dick Lattimer. It is such a shame when we
lose an archery leader....and a very nice one at that. I've known Dick
for many years and had fun with him each time he came to TWAC. I also
enjoyed seeing him when I was on the Archery Hall of Fame Board of
Directors. Please give Alice and his family my condolences.
......Enclosed please find a donation to the Hall in memory of Dick
Lattimer, he will be missed by so many.
George Gardner
Dick was one who did so much and ask for so little in return. The
Archery Hall of Fame Board of Directors, as well as the archery community
have lost so much with the passing of Dick Lattimer.
His wisdom, his kindness and his laughter will always be remembered.
Diane Miller
G. Fred Asbel writes....
I just
saw that Dick Lattimer died on the 6th of September, and I was deeply
saddened. What a fine man. I spent a couple of days in his presence at a
wildlife function in St. Louis a few years ago, and I came away
realizing that we rarely know/understand much of/about people whose
names and images we often see in the media. Dick was genuine, and
perhaps as professional as anyone I've ever known in this outdoor
business. And while he made his living promoting the industry, the
amount of volunteer work he did was inspirational. We can't say enough
good things about Dick Lattimer. He was a class act and should be an
inspiration to us all.
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