Story and photos by BRUCE COLLIER
A standing-room-only crowd met April 15 in the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood in DeFuniak Springs to help celebrate the Woman’s Club of DeFuniak Springs’ induction of Marie Lathinghouse as a Woman of Light. Per Woman’s Club tradition, Lathinghouse was honored with a light and a stone marker. On the marker were carved her name, year of birth, and the title “Entrepreneur.” She is the fifth woman to date to be so honored.
Extra chairs had to be brought out to accommodate the attending crowd, made up of family, friends, club members and various local and county dignitaries. Lathinghouse herself was also present. Following a welcome by Woman’s Club President Carol Doxey, DeFuniak Springs Mayor Bob Campbell read and presented a plaque to Lathinghouse from Rep. Jeff Miller. Woman’s Club Treasurer Christine Guzowski spoke a tribute to Lathinghouse, detailing her accomplishments, which included the opening of many successful businesses and a long history of service to the community.
Following cosmetology school, wife and mother Marie Lathinghouse opened a hair salon in her home, then added a dress shop for women. Those businesses later occupied a building in downtown DeFuniak Springs called Marie’s Hitching Post. A gift shop, tanning room and restaurant (Mia’s Cafe) followed. The next step was expansion of clothing stores to Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Niceville, Pensacola, Destin and New Orleans. Her current business is antiques – Sanford and Sisters.
Lathinghouse was also very active in the DeFuniak Springs Garden Club, where she won awards and played an active role in the beautification of area historic buildings, and the eventual earning of a Blue Star marker for plantings at U.S. 331 and U.S. 90. Lathinghouse has also served with Partners in Progress, DFS Visitors’ Bureau and Economic and Tourism Committee, and helped to organize Christmas Reflections.
Marie’s son Greg spoke next, offering some humorous sidelights of his mother’s career and his own boyhood. He reminisced on her regular middle-of-the-night road trips to New Orleans to stock her stores there, as well as the unforgettable smell of hair salon products in their home.
“There’s no deterring her,” said Greg. “She has taught us to work.”
Marie herself, 85 years old, spoke briefly, taking time to thank a list of people who have helped the city over the years, and praising the thousands of volunteers. “We are really special here,” she said. As for herself, she said, “I always had a passion for things to look good.”
Following Woman’s Club Committee Chairperson Paulette Morrison’s unveiling of the light and marker, attendees were invited to refreshments in the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood.