Marian Cleary Tate

Marian, our beloved Mother, “Mimi”, aunt and friend, went peacefully into the arms of Jesus Tuesday, December 17, 2019. She was greeted by loved ones who went before: her mother Edith, father Harry, sister Lois Kelley, niece Kay Kelley Anderson, husbands Tom Cleary and Willis Tate.

She was born on May 6, 1926, in Dallas, TX, to Harry Penniman, Jr. and wife Edith Price Penniman Knowles. She grew up in Highland Park. She attended the Highland Park Schools, graduating from HPHS in 1942 and from SMU in 1945. She was married to her high school sweetheart, Tom Cleary, in November, 1945. The US Navy assigned Tom to Parris Island, SC, to the dental corps in 1946. They spent the next two years there and welcomed their only child, Diane, in February, 1949. They returned to Texas as soon as his duty was completed and they settled back in Dallas where Tom started his dental practice.

Beginning in the early 1960’s, Marian served as the executive secretary to Willis Tate for 17 years at SMU and then as secretary to Kenneth Reimer for several more years before she retired in 1988. She married Willis Tate in January, 1989. She was a life member of the HPHS Alumni Assoc. and the Dallas County Pioneer Society, a contributor to SMU and the SMU Meadows Museum, a member of HP United Methodist Church and Pi Beta Phi Sorority.

Marian was a wonderful musician. She loved to play the piano from the time she was a very small child. Her love of music stayed with her through her days from accompanying Diane’s ballet class at the Kingsbury’s School of Dance in the Highland Park Village, to playing for her Sunday School Class at Highland Park Presbyterian Church and on to playing for many SMU Retired Faculty Christmas parties both on campus and at her home in University Park. She even played for the residents on her floor at Walnut Place in the last year of her life. Her other interests included traveling, doing needlepoint, playing with her schnauzers and entertaining and loving her grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughter, Diane (Ralph), her 3 grandchildren, Wendy Harju Minton (Adam), Thomas Harju (Lindsay) and Susan Harju, and 2 great-grandchildren, Alexandra Minton and Rhett Harju. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Memorial gifts may be sent to SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Office of Development, P. O. Box 750356, Dallas, TX 75275-0356 or to the charity of your choice.

Our sincere thanks to the caregivers at Walnut Place LCS – especially to Melkam, Mary and Sima. We, also, thank the hospice group from THPC for their kindness and help