George Webster Latimer, Jr., a Fellow of AOAC INTERNATIONAL (1997) and a long-time member, passed away on March 15, 2024. He was 92 years old.
Latimer retired from the Office of the Texas State Chemist, an agency of Texas A&M University, in August 2004 after 18 years of service. With his regulatory and chemistry experience, his work focused on agriculture, feed, fertilizer, and heavy metals. Prior to this, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1957 and rose to the rank of Colonel, retiring after 31 years of service.
A member of AOAC since 1984, he served in several volunteer roles, perhaps most notably as editor of the Official Methods of AnalysisSM compendium since the 19th edition in 2012. In this role, he also assisted users with technical questions regarding AOAC Official MethodsSM. In 2022, Latimer retired as editor for the “Statistical Analysis and Chemometric Methods” section of the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL after 23 years of service. As section editor, he oversaw the peer-review process for manuscripts submitted for publication.
Latimer was integral to the development of the AOAC Technical Division for Laboratory Management and served on its board of directors from 1996 to 2002. He was a member of the AOAC Official Methods Board; Agricultural Materials Task Force; Methods Committee on Commodity Foods and Commodity Products; Methods Committee on Feeds, Fertilizers, and Related Agricultural Products; and Nominations Subcommittee. He was past president of the AOAC Southwest Section from 1989 to 1990.
In addition to AOAC, he was active in the Associations of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO), serving as chair of the AAFCO Feed Check Sample Program; past president of AAPFCO (1997); associate referee for Sampling; general referee for Analytical Methods for Feed and Fertilizer (1991–1995) and Commodities (2004); and as a member of many committees.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from George Washington University in 1955 and a doctorate in physical/analytical chemistry from Princeton University in 1960.
AOAC thanks Latimer for his dedication, commitment, and many years of service. He will be greatly missed by friends and colleagues at AOAC INTERNATIONAL.
