James Roy Tate, 79, of Gardner, Kan., died June 27, 2005, at his home.

He was a tractor mechanic with John Deere in Harristown for many years, retiring in 1987.

Mr. Tate was born Oct. 24, 1925, in Jefferson County to Lewis E. and Flossie Beal Tate.

He married Vada Verlee Wilson Tate Aug. 31, 1956, in Mt. Vernon; she survives.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday at Bruce Funeral Home in Gardner, Kan. Burial will follow at Gardner Cemetery in Gardner, Kan. Friends may call from 10 a.m. until the time of services Friday at Bruce Funeral Home in Gardner, Kan.

Mr. Tate is survived by his wife, Vada Verlee Wilson Tate, of the home; children Paula Maples of Gardner, Kan., and James Michael Tate of Cerro Gordo;a brother, David Tate of Mt. Vernon; a sister, Ann Yelverton of Laurel, Miss.; four grandchildren and two stepgrandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis E. and Flossie Beal Tate; two brothers, Robert and Charles; and two sisters, Evelyn Staley and Nina Bell Tate.

Mr. Tate moved eight months ago to Gardner, Kan., to be with family. He moved there from Warrensburg, where he lived for over 40 years. He was a member of Northwest Christian Church in Decatur. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was a family man who enjoyed sports and loved to fish. He will be dearly missed.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society in care of Bruce Funeral Home, P.O. Box 192, Gardner, KS 66030. For more information, you may contact Bruce Funeral Home at (913) 856-7111.

Source: Register-News
Date: July 1, 2005
Submitted by: Robert W. Loman