Willie Ruth Tate

A resident of Baton Rouge and the retired owner/operator of Tate Ceramics, she died at 5:05 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at Hospice of Baton Rouge. She was 86, born Dec. 4, 1921, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Visiting at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd., on Sunday, Oct. 5, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Graveside service at Biloxi National Cemetery, Biloxi, Miss., on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 1:30 p.m. She is survived by two sons, Howell Tate Jr. and wife Traute, of California, and James Tate, of Louisiana; two daughters, Anna Tate and Barbara Grunitz and husband Ralf, all of Louisiana; and four grandchildren, Loraine Tate, of Nevada, Cassandra Millard and husband Sean, of California, and David Tate Jr. and Stefanie Grunitz, both of Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her parents, Albert D. Lovvorn and Anna (Wheeler) Lovvorn; brother, James R. Lovvorn; sister, Mary (Lovvorn) Bingham; husband, Howell F. Tate Sr.; son, David L. Tate Sr.; and granddaughter, Ashley N. Grunitz. She earned an associate degree in social services. In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial donation to Hospice of Baton Rouge, 9063 Siegen Lane, Suite A, Baton Rouge, LA 70810.