RAY TATE

Oliver “Ray” Tate, 69, of Texarkana, Ark., died Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, at his home. <br />Mr. Tate was born Sept. 29, 1940, in Gardendale, Ala. He was retired from International Paper, a fire Inspector for the city of Birmingham, formerly employed with American Cast Iron Pipe Co., Birmingham, a minister of music and youth at Mount Olive First Baptist Church in Gardendale, Ala., assistant pastor and minister of music and youth at North Highland Baptist Church, Warrior, Ala., pastor of Arden Baptist Church, Graysville, Ala., and Hillcrest Baptist Church, Birmingham, former minister of music at Fouke First Baptist Church, former interim director of music at Trinity Baptist Church, a member of Mountain Brook Fire Department, Team National, Rhodes-Cross Deer Camp, Prescott, Ark., and Trinity Baptist, a Mason, and a Navy veteran. <br />Survivors include his wife, Martha Berry Tate of Texarkana; two sons, Ken Tate and Keith Tate of Dora, Ala.; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Fay and Jerry Kalteux of Ormond Beach, Fla., SuNell and Don Ellis of Gardendale, Ala., and Edie and Bill Richardson of Maylene, Ala.; his mother-in-law, Virginia Berry of Texarkana; two granddaughters; and a number of other relatives. <br />Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at East Funeral Home, Moores Lane, with the Revs. Wallace Edgar, William Garner and Doug Tate officiating. Burial will be in Mount Horeb Cemetery, Camden, Ark. <br />Visitation will be 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. <br />Memorials may be made to Goodland Academy, P.O. Box 1056, Hugo, OK 74748, or Texarkana Animal Shelter, 203 Harrison, Texarkana, AR 71854. <br />Online registration is at www.mem.com. <br /> <br />