Dr. Ralph Latta arrived in Benton as a 13-year-old in the mid-1980s. He couldn't have known he was putting down roots that would grow into a lifelong commitment to the community's health. Now at the age of 50, Dr. Latta has spent more than two decades caring for the very people who helped shape his formative years.

"They poured into me when I was younger, and now I get to return the favor and pour into their health and take care of them," Dr. Latta reflects. "I have a practice full of classmates that I had in school, teachers that I've had, and employers that I've worked under. They now come to me for what I consider the most important thing that they have, and that's their health."

Dr. Latta's path to Benton began far from Southern Illinois. Born into a military family, he spent his early years moving frequently before settling in San Antonio, Texas, where his father served as a large truck mechanic at Fort Sam Houston. When his father completed his military career, the family relocated to Benton, where his grandmother had married a local resident.

Though he joined the Benton school system in eighth grade, Dr. Latta quickly immersed himself in the community. During his high school years, he and his brother sold newspapers on the square for the Benton Evening News. For five years, he worked at Dial's IGA, carrying groceries for many people in the Benton area—some of whom would later become his patients.

After graduating from Benton High School in 1992, Dr. Latta attended Southern Illinois University for his undergraduate and graduate education before heading to the University of Illinois for medical school from 1999 to 2003. He completed his residency in Carbondale and then, in a decision that would define his career, returned to Benton to establish his medical practice.

"If I had it to do all over, I wouldn't change a thing," Dr. Latta says. "I'd do exactly the same thing, and I'd be right where I'm at in the same place."

Dr. Latta credits his Benton education with preparing him for the rigorous academic journey ahead. "We had a lot of great teachers who did a great job of preparing you for college back then," he recalls, mentioning educators like Jackie Miller, Mr. Nymphs, and Mary Ellen Haken, who set high standards in their classrooms. "They were tough, and if you wanted to get that A in their class, you had to work for it."

The results speak for themselves. Dr. Latta's graduating class of 1992 produced numerous professionals, including a professor at Illinois State University, an orthopedist, a banking executive, and an attorney.

Now, as a family physician, Dr. Latta describes himself as a "cheerleader for health," encouraging patients to make proper lifestyle choices to prevent conditions like diabetes and heart disease that are prevalent in rural communities. "I'm on the sideline trying to tell people to take better care of themselves," he explains. "Sometimes I'm successful, sometimes I'm not."

Dr. Latta's commitment to the community extends beyond his clinical practice. For about ten years, he has been affiliated with Liberty University, hosting third-year medical students for month-long rotations. "We have to educate the next generation," he says. "Eventually we're going to need them, so we've got to get them ready."

His advice to Benton students considering careers in healthcare is straightforward: "If you are passionate about healthcare and you want to go into medicine, then don't let anybody deter you. It's a long road and a lot of work, so you have to be dedicated to the cause. You're going to have to put your heads down and work hard, but it's definitely doable."

Though Dr. Latta's children attended Sesser-Valier schools, following in the footsteps of his wife, a Sesser native, his connection to Benton remains strong. Living near Rend Lake with a Benton address, he has created a life that bridges both communities while maintaining his focus on what matters most—providing quality healthcare to the people who once helped shape his character and work ethic.

"It's neat to have returned to a community that was part of my raising," he says, "and now provide care for them."