1922
William
2006
William F. Tate
August 29, 1922 — September 5, 2006
WILLIAM F. "Bill" TATE
Tupelo - William Ferrell "Bill Tate, 84, died Tuesday, September 5, 2006, at the Green Houses of Traceway Mannor after an extended illness. A Tupelo native and life long resident, he was born August 29, 1922 to the late William Ezra and Jettie Marie Beasley Tate. He attended Columbia Military Academy and was a 1941 graduate of Tupelo High School. He then went on to University of Mississippi and also attended Millsaps College. While at Ole Miss, he became a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II aboard the USS Haverfield, a part of the submarine chaser group attached to the carrier, Bogue. He began his business career in Tupelo as the owner of Tate's Big Star grocery store. Seeing the potential of growth in Tupelo, he began investing in real estate and then launched his own real estate firm, Tupelo Realty Company and later a second company, TRI, now operated by his daughter and grandsons. Also, he and his brother, O'Neil, formed Tate Insurance Company which later merged with two older insurance firms under the name Insurance and Financial Managers (IFM). His vision and great sense of enterprise fostered commercial, recreational, and residential development in Tupelo and Northeast Mississippi. He was president of the Mississippi Association of Realtors in 1970 and was recognized as State Realtor of the year in 1971. He was later elected to the Mississippi Realtor Hall of Fame. He was a director of the National Association of Realtors and was vice president of the Southeastern region. He was also a member of the International Association of Realtors. He was instrumental in bringing European investors into the state. He was a fatihful member of First United Methodist Church where he served in numerous leadership capacities. He was instrumental in the opening and construction of Camp Lake Stephens in Oxford and continuted his support throughout his life.
Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Andy Ray and Rev. Raigan Miskelly officiating. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery. W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Sue McCormack Tate of Tupelo; two daughters, Ellen Short and husband, Jeff, of Tupelo, and Becky Cade and husband, Paul Drew Cade, of Jackson; one brother, O'Neil Tate, of Montreat, N.C.; four grandchildren, Clay Short and wife, Danille, of Tupelo, Andy Short and wife, Kathryn, of Tupelo, Elizabeth Short of New Orleans, La., and Suzanna Cade, of University, MS; five great-grandsons, William, Ethan, Jackson, Chris, and Jeremy.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Harold Tate.
Pallbearers will be Bill Lyle, Pete Poland, III, Mike Cooke, Alan Whitaker, Bert Lyle, Heywood Washburn, Greg Johnson, and Hunter Cade.
Honoarary Pallbearers will be Mirl Whitaker, Walton Cooper, Frank Riley, Paul Eason, John Ray Beasley, Dr. John Blakey, Marshall Adams, Dr. James Austin Jernigan, Charlie Aycock, Jeff Land, and Roger Wicker.
Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. The family will receive friends in the Gathering Room of the church from 10 a.m. until service time on Friday.
Memorials may be made to a charity of the doner's choice.
Tupelo - William Ferrell "Bill Tate, 84, died Tuesday, September 5, 2006, at the Green Houses of Traceway Mannor after an extended illness. A Tupelo native and life long resident, he was born August 29, 1922 to the late William Ezra and Jettie Marie Beasley Tate. He attended Columbia Military Academy and was a 1941 graduate of Tupelo High School. He then went on to University of Mississippi and also attended Millsaps College. While at Ole Miss, he became a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II aboard the USS Haverfield, a part of the submarine chaser group attached to the carrier, Bogue. He began his business career in Tupelo as the owner of Tate's Big Star grocery store. Seeing the potential of growth in Tupelo, he began investing in real estate and then launched his own real estate firm, Tupelo Realty Company and later a second company, TRI, now operated by his daughter and grandsons. Also, he and his brother, O'Neil, formed Tate Insurance Company which later merged with two older insurance firms under the name Insurance and Financial Managers (IFM). His vision and great sense of enterprise fostered commercial, recreational, and residential development in Tupelo and Northeast Mississippi. He was president of the Mississippi Association of Realtors in 1970 and was recognized as State Realtor of the year in 1971. He was later elected to the Mississippi Realtor Hall of Fame. He was a director of the National Association of Realtors and was vice president of the Southeastern region. He was also a member of the International Association of Realtors. He was instrumental in bringing European investors into the state. He was a fatihful member of First United Methodist Church where he served in numerous leadership capacities. He was instrumental in the opening and construction of Camp Lake Stephens in Oxford and continuted his support throughout his life.
Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Andy Ray and Rev. Raigan Miskelly officiating. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery. W. E. Pegues Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Sue McCormack Tate of Tupelo; two daughters, Ellen Short and husband, Jeff, of Tupelo, and Becky Cade and husband, Paul Drew Cade, of Jackson; one brother, O'Neil Tate, of Montreat, N.C.; four grandchildren, Clay Short and wife, Danille, of Tupelo, Andy Short and wife, Kathryn, of Tupelo, Elizabeth Short of New Orleans, La., and Suzanna Cade, of University, MS; five great-grandsons, William, Ethan, Jackson, Chris, and Jeremy.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Harold Tate.
Pallbearers will be Bill Lyle, Pete Poland, III, Mike Cooke, Alan Whitaker, Bert Lyle, Heywood Washburn, Greg Johnson, and Hunter Cade.
Honoarary Pallbearers will be Mirl Whitaker, Walton Cooper, Frank Riley, Paul Eason, John Ray Beasley, Dr. John Blakey, Marshall Adams, Dr. James Austin Jernigan, Charlie Aycock, Jeff Land, and Roger Wicker.
Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. The family will receive friends in the Gathering Room of the church from 10 a.m. until service time on Friday.
Memorials may be made to a charity of the doner's choice.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William F. Tate, please visit our flower store.
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