Beth Ann Latak Cooley, dancing queen, diehard Browns fan and stray dog whisperer, died on Sunday, November 19th. 

She was born on January 13th, 1956 in Ashtabula Ohio, the fifth of Joe and Doris Latak's seven children. 

In 1974, she graduated from Ashtabula High school, where she met the father of her daughters and as a 4'11", often smiling cheerleader, she earned the nickname Pixie from her classmates, many of whom would become her lifelong friends.

Beth Ann spent sixteen years working at ACMC and adored her co-workers. In support of her during the time she traveled to Chicago for chemotherapy and radiation treatment, they wore their 'Team Beth' t-shirts. Their encouragement gave Beth Ann strength to continue fighting her life's battle.

If Beth Ann was in a room, no one was a stranger. This was especially true if that room was a dance floor. This woman didn't just cut a rug, she diced it into tiny little pieces, and anyone who joined her was laughing and clinking wine glasses with Beth Ann and her friends by the end of the night.

Much of her precious time on Earth was spent gardening and feeding the wild hummingbirds in her backyard. She named her two favorite hummingbirds Scarlett and Rhett, after the characters in Gone with the Wind, which she'd read over twenty five times. 

As her illness began to sap her strength, her positive attitude, inner strength and magnetic smile never wavered. She looked forward to episodes of American Pickers and any movie starring the handsome Sam Elliot. The plot didn't matter.

Beth Ann's beautiful soul will never die. It is present in those she leaves behind... her "little" girls, whom "she loved to the moon and back", Callyn and Jordyn. Her siblings, half-sister Sue Robinson, brothers Ron (Debbie) Latak, David (Kathy) Latak, Joe Latak, sister Kathy (Raymond) Walker and brothers Roger (Martha) Latak and Alvin Latak and many nieces and nephews who gave her a role she loved as their Aunt Beth. Her constant companion, whom she rescued nine years ago, little Remi and her granddog, 'Baby Woes' Roman. And her friends, who will never hear the song 'Brown Eyed Girl' without hitting the dance floor with a smile and a nod to beautiful Beth Ann.

She is preceded in death and will be welcomed home by her parents, Joe 'Pops' Latak and Doris Maxine Southall Latak. 

Memorial service will be Tuesday (Nov. 28th) at 6:00 PM at the Ashtabula Home of Fleming & Billman Funeral Directors and Crematory, 526 W. Prospect Rd. Ashtabula  with calling hours from 4:00 PM until the time of service at the funeral home

Finally, her family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cancer Treatment Center of America in her name. She touched many lives during the weeks she spent there, and if anything can help even one of those friends to see their name on the Survivors Wall, Beth Ann would be honored.

Condolences, light a candle and obituary at fleming-billman.com

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