Dr. M. R. Grate Jr.

Myrle was a dynamic personality abounding in energy, knowledge and wit. He was fully committed to the field of Head and Neck Surgery and to Ear, Nose and Throat medicine as well as to the Tallahassee medical practice he established in the 1970s and ran with his highly dedicated staff until April 2023. His popularity among patients was well earned as he viewed his profession as a calling to help and heal—whether individuals could pay for his services or not, whether incarcerated or free, whether frightened youngsters he won over with comical demonstrations of the medical equipment he routinely used or concerned adults whose questions regarding upcoming surgical procedures he diligently addressed. The high regard in which he was held by other medical professionals was won through dedication to the perfection of his craft, his eagerness to locate the root problem of even the most perplexing medical cases, and his eccentric sense of humor. His hands remained confident and steady through all his days of serving patients—just ask his kids, they will tell you the man never met his match in a game of Jenga!

Myrle was born on June 25, 1942 in Erie, Pennsylvania to Myrle Raymond Grate, Senior and Wilma Grate who both preceded him into heaven. He leaves behind his loving wife: Joan Grate as well as his younger siblings: his sister and brother-in-law Dianne and Tom Rossell, his sister and brother-in-law Lois and Pete Vande Weghe, and his brother Richard Grate. He leaves behind his two children and his wife’s two children: his daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters: Lara, Bryan, Hayden, and Abby Bailey; his son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter: Myrle, Kathy, Micah, and Anna Grate; his son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons: Sean, Diane, Connor, and Alex Burnside; and his son, daughter-in-law, grandson and granddaughter and her husband: Michael, Nicci, and Korbin Burnside and Keigh-lee and Craig Hewitt. He leaves behind cherished nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, and cousins whose prayers and loving messages were so uplifting throughout his final days. And, he leaves behind loyal physician friends, fly-fishing buddies, and adventurous travel companions.

His friends and family members delight in memories of Myrle’s love of history and literature, his deep appreciation for the beauty in art, music, and nature, as well as his numerous eccentricities—including the excruciatingly detailed instructions in various camping and survival techniques he often provided them as a willing (and sometimes not so willing) audience.

Myrle was a Major in the United States Air Force serving the military at Langley AFB Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. He was an active member of Tallahassee Road Baptist Church and participated in Global Health Outreach trips with the Christian Medical and Dental Association to the Dominican Republic and to Jamaica. In lieu of flowers, donations in memoriam may be made to: Wounded Warriors Family Support, or to one of the many ministries of his church, or to CMDA’s Global Health Outreach.