Collector inspired by Nativity scenes

For Joan Latimer, the smell of fresh pine boughs mingled with Christmas carols takes her back decades to Christmas Eve in the tough mining town of Butte, Montana.

Once again, she becomes a small child waiting for the stroke of midnight when the priest would bring the baby Jesus to the manger during midnight Mass.

"The whole thing was kind of magical," Latimer said.

She recalls walking quietly with her family up to visit the baby who had come to save the world.

"It seemed so peaceful that there couldn't possibly be any problems in the world," Latimer recalled.

Those moments generated a lifelong love of Nativity scenes that spawned a collection that now numbers between 70 and 80 sets. Parts of her collection now alternate through the chapel each week at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Latimer works in the medical center's laboratory as supervisor of microbiology. Her collection came to the chapel through the Rev. Brenda Wills, one of the chaplains serving the hospital.

Wills was seeking nativities when Latimer told her about her collection. It was the perfect Advent display for the case in the corner of the interfaith chapel.

Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

"In the ancient practice, the baby Jesus is not seen nor is the birth celebrated until Christmas Eve," Wills said.

But these days, Nativity scenes come out soon after Thanksgiving.

Wills and Latimer set up 28 of her collection just before Advent which started this year on Nov. 27. The scenes of the holy family span a wide range of artistic expression from sacred to whimsical.

Latimer discovered many of the sets as her career took her to many different states and as summer travel took her to other lands, including Israel in 1999. One of the more valuable ones came from Bethlehem.

The graceful scene includes just Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus in one, intricately-carved sculpture.

"It's carved out of olive wood," Latimer said.

She has begun a collection of pricey, Italian-made Fontanini nativities and traditional Lladro scenes.

But one of her favorites is a nontraditional Montana-made Nativity scene featuring a cowboy-looking Joseph with a down-home Mary, grasping her stomach, and of course baby Jesus.

"Mary looks like she might actually have just delivered," Latimer said with a laugh.

She also loves her brightly colored acquisitions from Peru which hide the Nativity inside a carved animal. The sets on display include two which hold the holy family inside a lamb and a parrot.

Latimer has a Calico Cat series scene in which kittens represent the characters of the traditional Nativity. Apparently, these cats come in all sorts of configurations.

Latimer would know. She has a collection of cat figures that rivals her Nativity scenes.

"You can just go nuts on these things," she said.

Another favorite not yet on display was created by Flathead wood sculptor Jeff Fleming, known internationally for his bears.

"Joseph, Mary and Jesus are bears," Latimer said. "And there are angel bears hanging from a tree."

Along with Nativity scenes and cats, the microbiologist has spent years of accumulating bear figures. Add to that her collection of miniature books and many, many Santas.

It becomes clear how Latimer, a single woman with one cat, filled up a four-bedroom house.

With her house full and a rambunctious cat as a roommate, Latimer said she has begun to hone her Nativity and other collecting.

"You start to look for the more unusual ones," she said.

But no matter how many Christmas scenes she collects or receives as gifts, the set she treasured in her childhood home remains the centerpiece of her collection and closest to her heart.

It came one piece at a time as her family could squeeze a piece into its budget. She recently turned over one of the figures to look at the old price sticker still attached.

"Each figure was 29 cents," she said with a smile.

As a child, Latimer was so excited as the Nativity grew that she decided to build a manger for the figures. She hammered together pieces of wood and stained them into a crooked home filled with the wonder and faith of childhood.

It's a peaceful place Latimer revisits each Christmas Eve.

"It was such a simple time compared to the way we live now," she said. "It was just magical."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.