George Latinovich

George Latinovich, 83, of Catlin, IL, passed away at 4:50 p.m. Friday, March 31, 2023 at Saint Francis Hospital in Indianapolis surrounded by his two sons. Visitation will be at Kruger Funeral Home, 10 E. Williams Street in Danville, IL from 12-3pm on Saturday, April 8, 2023. A second visitation will also be held at Giovanini Funeral Home, 408 Vine Street in Clinton, IN on Monday, April 10th from 11-1pm. Funeral services will follow at 1pm with burial at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Clinton, IN. George was born on March 14, 1940 in Universal, IN to Eli and Dorothy (Dotlich) Latinovich. He attended Universal Elementary School and Clinton High School. After high school, George had the opportunity to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals, but elected to attend Saint Louis University on a basketball scholarship. Upon his graduation in 1962, he attended Indiana State University where he received a Master’s Degree. From there he went on to teach and coach at Scotland High School, St. Joseph-Ogden High School, and Danville Area Community College until he retired in 2011. While at DACC, George was able to continue his love of baseball by helping start the program in the late 1960’s and coached through 1982. He also coached for the former Danville Roosters in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, with several former players making it to the majors. George was a die-hard Chicago Cubs and Bears fans and always tuned in to watch the Saint Louis Billikens men’s basketball games. George was inducted into the Danville Area Community College Hall of Fame in 2011 for his contribution to the game of baseball. George married the love of his life, Nancy Carty on August 21, 1965, at St. George’s Orthodox Church in Terre Haute. George is survived by his two sons, L. Michael Latinovich and Jon (Leticia) Latinovich; four grandchildren, Taylor, Nadine, Dane, and Aiden; sister Rose Astley; one sister-in-law Irene Carty; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents: Eli and Dorothy; older sisters: Melva Griffin, Smelia Kairns, Mary Schaumburg; and older brothers: Joseph Latinovich and Eli Latinovich. Messages and memories for the family may be left on the Kruger Funeral Home Facebook Page or on our website at www.krugercoanpape.com. or www.giovaninifuneralhome.com.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in George’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.