The Durango Herald
Durango, Colorado
December 1999

Thelma Opal Berry Tate

Services will be at 2 pm Thursday at Allison Community Presbyterian Church for Thelma Opal Berry Tate, who died Monday, Dec 27, 1999, in Allison after an extended illness. She was 91.

Burial will follow at Allison-Tiffany Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Allison Community Presbyterian Church Annex.

Mrs. Tate was born July 30, 1908, in Arron, Mo. She graduated from Drumright High School and attended Oklahoma City University. In April 1928, she married Arthur Francis Tate.

Mr. and Mrs. Tate were in the logging and sawmill business until 1963. In 1963, they started their auto salvage business in Bayfield, where they built their home.

Mrs. Tate lived at her home in Bayfield until three years ago, when she needed further assistance and went to live with her oldest daughter, Shirley Engler of Allison. 

Mrs. Tate was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, by three sons and by one daughter.

Survivors include three sons, Thomas W. Tate and John J. Tate, both of Bayfield, and Jack L. Tate of Blanding, Utah; three daughters, Shirley Engler, Betty Swanemyr and Margaret Sutton, all of Allison; 34 grandchildren; 79 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren and numerous cousins.

SOURCE: The Durango Herald [Dec 2001]