James "Frog" Tate

Mr. James William “Frog” Tate, Sr., 81, of Ararat, North Carolina, passed away Saturday afternoon, May 16, 2020 at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem.  Mr. Tate was born March 12, 1939, in Wythe County, to the late Lee Andrew Burton Tate and Mollie Lee Gwyn Tate.  He was a loving father, grandfather, brother, and friend who will be dearly missed.  Survivors include a daughter, Gail Tate Beck; a son and daughter-in-law, James “Tator” and Barbara Tate; three granddaughters, Brandi Beck and fiancé William Shore, Laken Beck, and Trenika Beck East and husband Scott; seven great-grandchildren, Eli Beck, Haley East, Brittany East, Alexis Hutchens, Adison East, Alanah Haynes, and Evan Beck; two sisters, Bessie Graybeal, and Ann Scott; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Lincoln Tate, Herman and Debbie Tate, and Mary “Aunt Jenny” Tate; and a host of nieces and nephews.  In addition to his parents, Mr. Tate was preceded in death by his wife of 40 years, Edna Faye Gravely Tate; a sister, Opal Mae Gertrude Tate Marshall; two brothers, Kenneth Wayne Tate and Roland Lee Tate; a son-in-law, Gray Beck; two brothers-in-law, Harden Graybeal and Don Scott; and a sister-in-law, Wanda Tate.  Due to the limitations of numbers for public gatherings at this time (COVID-19), a private graveside service will be held at the Tate Family Cemetery.