Latrell was born in St. Augustine, Florida. She attended local schools. In 1958, she married USAF Sgt. Yulee Mickler. They lived in Ohio, Arkansas, and Guam until Yulee retired from the service in 1968. When their six children were grown, Latrell earned her AA degree from Florida Community College and studied journalism and photography at the University of North Florida. She freelanced Florida-related articles to local and national magazines in the 1980/90s, and in 2000 published Indigo, an historical novel set in 18th Century Florida. Her interests are genealogy and history. Latrell Pappy Mickler lives near St. Augustine.