Patrick Joseph Latsha, 22, of 443 Elm Rd., Shamokin, passed away on Saturday evening, October 2nd, while attending a fundraising event for the benefit of Transitions of PA, a nonprofit organization based in Sunbury, PA which hopes to provide resources for domestic abuse survivors. He passed surrounded by his friends, family, and his Fraternity brothers.
Patrick was born at GMC Danville on March 24th, 1999, at 5:30 PM, a son of Joe and Kathy Latsha and brother of Stephen Latsha of Irish Valley. He was a 2018 graduate of Shamokin Area High School, where he spent his time playing football for the Shamokin Indians alongside his coaches and teammates that he loved. Every person Patrick met, he influenced with his bright smile and kind words.
After graduation, Patrick enrolled in Penn State University Harrisburg and later transferred to Susquehanna University where he found his home. He was working to complete his education with a major in Communications and had aspirations to be a sportscaster on professional networks and for professional teams. While at Susquehanna University, Patrick spent his time working his radio broadcast for WQSU, where he played his favorite songs and discussed sports in great detail, and served as his Fraternity chaplain for Phi Mu Delta Fraternity, where he focused on the betterment of his brotherhood. Patrick cared deeply about everyone he met and always took their weights as his own.
There is not room in this short text to mention all of Patrick’s life achievements and successes. He always put his family and friends first.
After being diagnosed with cancer in 2019, Patrick fought the good fight, stating that “cancer started this fight, but I will finish it.” He honored his word and leaped into remission, noted by friends and family as being too stubborn to be stopped by the disease.
Patrick may have not have won every time, but he never lost, going into every fight with the attitude that he would win. According to Patrick, the toughest part of fighting cancer was seeing the pain in the faces of his family and friends, as he always worried about everyone else. Patrick was always a positive individual with a smile on his face, and a tough kid who would never let anything beat him. A true fighter in every sense of the word. Patrick showed this time and time again, whether it be for family, friends, brothers, or teammates.
President Jonathan Green of Susquehanna University shared that Patrick was the kind of student that would always be the first to help a new student who may have been feeling lost or confused, and that he would be one of the first to welcome that student as a friend, always offering to help in any way he could. That’s who Patrick was.
Patrick was not a man of many words but his actions spoke loudly enough. He touched so many people with his kindness and love for his family, friends and pets. He always put everybody first, and always was eager to lend a helping hand.
We believe that Heaven is a better place with Patrick. The world lost a light and kind soul, an amazing son, and an incredible friend.
Patrick will be deeply missed, as evidenced by the news of his passing. He continues to send ripples across the community of people that he met. It is not in Patrick’s passing that we should remember him, it’s how he lived, HOW HE DID LIVE. This is what he would’ve wanted—to see all his loved ones together, remembering how he brought us together.
Patrick is survived by his parents Joseph and Kathy Latsha, his brothers Stephen and Joey, his grandmothers Ann Latsha and Carole Oxenrider, his Aunt Pat Lawler, his cousins Michelle and her husband Harvey, Nicholas and his wife Rita, Michael and his wife Shanelle, Robert, and Daniel. He is also survived by his Aunt Patti and her husband Ron, his Aunt Cathy and his Uncle Steve, his countless friends, his Fraternity brothers, his girlfriend Kayla Borrelli, and his two cats Marley and Lucky aka “Mash”. He was preceded in death by two grandfathers, Robert Latsha and Lawrence Quinn, and his aunt Helen Marciniek.
NOTICE
A viewing will be held at the Leonard J. Lucas Funeral Home, Ltd., 120 S. Market St., Shamokin, Saturday morning from 9 to 11. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11:30 at Mother Cabrini Church, 214 N. Shamokin St., Shamokin. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, Coal Township. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in Patrick’s memory be made to Mother Cabrini Church, 214 N. Shamokin St., Shamokin, PA 17872.