Vernal Lee Lattimore, age 67, of Ulysses, Kansas died Saturday, June 27, 2015 at Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses, Kansas. He was born August 13, 1947 in Garden City, Kansas, the son Vernal L. and Nellie Burr (Kepley) Lattimore.

Vernal was raised in Grant County and graduated from Grant County Rural High School. His senior year of high school he was a National Merit Scholar. He attended Kansas University. While in high school and college, he traveled to several places. Vernal then began to travel with his job. He worked in the steel mills for several years in south Texas. After the steel mills, Vernal began working in the oilfield business. He traveled all over the world including going overseas to offshore drill. He commissioned two of the largest drill ships at the time. He lived all over the world including Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Scotland and Canada. After retiring from the oilfield, Vernal came back to Grant County to take over the family farm, where he raised wheat and cattle. Vernal was an avid reader. He enjoyed reading about history, archeology, and geology. He was known as a “Walking Encyclopedia”. Once he read something, he never forgot it. He was also an accomplished mechanic, woodworker and metal worker.

He is survived by his son, Vernal K. Lattimore and wife Jessica of Ulysses, Kansas; two sisters, Rita Deister and husband Jim of Salina, Kansas, and Becky Spar and husband Ira of Suffern, New York; and two grandchildren, Kaylin and Waylan Lattimore of Ulysses, Kansas.

Vernal is preceded in death by his parents, and sister, LoVelle Beaman of Davis, California.

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, July 1, 2015 at Garnand Funeral Home Chapel in Ulysses, Kansas. Interment will follow at the Golden Cemetery in Ulysses, Kansas. Friends may call from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM, with family present, on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 at Garnand Funeral Home in Ulysses. Memorial contributions may be given to the Grant County Library or Historic Adobe Museum in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave, Ulysses, KS 67880.