Celebrant Pam Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

A Woman Who Wears a Smile
Contributed by: Pam Vetter

8/30/06 Valley News Article

Everyone who uses Esprit Cleaners in West Hills knows Celeste by name. During her 25 years of service, she has logged clothes while listening to life stories. Celeste has an amazing story to share as well.

Celeste Lee Josselyn was born in 1941 at Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles, to Jane and Abbott Josselyn. They were excited with her birth, as she was their first-born. Over the next few years, they welcomed two more daughters, Pam and Marguarite. Celeste was raised in Beverly Hills but in 1946 the family moved to an open area called Playa Del Rey.

There was a small airport down the road that would one day become the LAX we know, but most of the area at the time was beautiful farmland. The family lived in an amazing house overlooking the ocean. There were also huge sand dunes behind her home. Her father worked at Weber's Bakery as a baker for a while and then worked in real estate. Her mother was a writer for the Westchester News Advertiser, a gourmet cook, and a part-time interior designer. As such, they had a designer home with a bamboo room, a Victorian parlor, a Spanish tile living room, an amazing sewing room, and a huge bedroom for the girls decorated in pink bows.

The girls also had a burgundy and pink tiled bathroom with matching accessories and their own dressing room. Celeste's mother enjoyed sewing and made all of their clothes for every season and special occasions, such as Easter. As her parents worked, the girls explored Playa Del Rey. They walked to the ocean and went on adventures searching for shells, treasures, or trinkets. It was a time in history when the world was a playground. They had a wonderful childhood. Faith was also important to the family as they attended St. Anastasius Parish in Westchester every week.

At the beach, it was like a safari and an adventure every time they walked to the shore. Celeste collected shells for several years until she amassed more than 100 perfect shells. One day, when there was a family swap meet in their neighborhood, Celeste sold her shell collection for five dollars. The woman who bought her collection decorated a net in the corner of a special room in her home with the unique shells.

When Celeste was in high school, she landed her first job. She worked at Pacific Ocean Park selling souvenirs to tourists. Her job was at the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier and she worked by the ocean she loved so much. She graduated from St. Monica's in Santa Monica and dreamed of being a teacher one day. She attended Santa Monica City College, majoring in teaching.

She was nearing her final year, when she fell in love and married Kenneth Latham in 1960 at Santa Monica Unity Church. They went on to have seven children: Kenny Jr., Anne Celeste, Charles, Janelle, Timothy, Thomas, and Peggy. In 1968, the family moved to the valley. Celeste somehow found the time to work outside of the home as well. During the 70's and into the 80's, she worked as a Recording Secretary for the Southern California Darts Association. Celeste was good at throwing darts in the dart league. It was a good job. In 1981, she would find the perfect job.

A few months after Esprit Cleaners opened at Vanowen and Platt in West Hills, Celeste landed a job working with Connie Schoelen, the owner. The prices were only 99 cents a garment in those days, but the prices have not increased that much in the last two decades. The most important thing was the people. Celeste saw so many personalities come through the doors of the business and they all wanted her to remember their names. Luckily, Celeste is a fast learner. So fast, if you go into Esprit Cleaners only a few times, she does know you by name and you learn her name quickly as well, because Celeste always wears a smile on her face.

Over the past 25 years, she has heard life stories from her customers. She has had customers come in crying about their problems, needing someone to listen. Maybe they lost a loved one, had a family problem, or a financial concern. Celeste was always willing to listen, even though she had problems of her own.

No one's life is completely perfect. Celeste has found a way to deal with the ups and downs in life, while focusing on the posititve. Her husband passed away in 1991 from Myetonia Congenita, which is related to Muscular Dystrophy. Then, in 2002, her daughter Annie passed away. Celeste's grandchildren Randy and Daniel and her mother-in-law have lived with her since Annie died. Randy is multiple-handicapped. He cannot read or write and is unable to speak very much. But, she counts on her faith and her blessings to see her through. He has learned the recognition of some letters by watching Wheel of Fortune each evening.

As Celeste has faithfully gone to church every week as a thirty-year member of St. Bernadine's, she takes her family along. Randy recently took his first communion. Later at home, he blurted out words asking Grandma Celeste for "the body of Christ," and "the blood of Christ." It was a moment that brought her to tears because of all of the words he said, he somehow recognized the importance of having faith.

Celeste's faith has gotten her through. She said, "Because I know there is always someone there for me. God is there for me. If I have a problem, I can turn to God and I thank him for everything. I know that no matter what I'm going through, it will be okay. It is a big burden off of my shoulders. It reminds me to smile even when things seem the worst. Somehow God provides." She remembers, with tears in her eyes, when she didn't know how she was going to pay her bills. She prayed about it.

The next day, a fireman and his wife came into work and gave her a Christmas present. It was $200 in cash. They said they weren't giving it because they had to, but because they wanted to give her a gift for her kindness. She cried, disbelieving that people could be so generous. As a result, she finds the time to give back to others when she can. She has seen a variety of people come through the doors of Esprit Cleaners, from CEO's to film producers to working class. Her customers are so nice to her and they share stories every day. When she sees them outside of work, she properly greets them with a smile and she calls them by name. They always return her smile and call her by name, "Celeste."

Celeste Latham has a spirit of gratitude that surrounds her. She is grateful for having seven children, seventeen grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and many friends. In the quiet of the day, she retreats into her room at night to relax, read the LA Daily News, and reflect on her day.

She looks into her garden in her backyard and she is grateful for everything she has in life. Her son, Kenny, put a statue of Mary in the middle of her backyard. It is beautiful and brings her peace in her toughest moments.

She has also found comfort in the last five years at Weight Watchers meetings on Fallbrook in West Hills. She has lost 65 pounds. Her support leader, Char, has been amazing. Celeste said, "Weight Watchers is the one place where there is no guilt when you walk through the door. We all have problems, but it feels good to be there. It's a family and together we've learned about healthy eating and portion control. I want a healthy lifestyle and I feel good about life."

There are so many things to learn from Celeste. When asked for final advice, she revisited the toughest times in her life. "Rule with your heart, have compassion for others, walk a mile in somebody else's shoes and see what it's like. Try to smile, you'll see. It makes a big difference. It's about attitude. We're all given burdens in life. Someone recently said, 'Your plate is full.' I told them it's more like a platter, but I'm able to carry it. If I'm thrown a curve ball, God has given me the power to pick up that ball and throw it back."

Go back to top