Roy Askew Tate

Funeral Services for Colonel (Ret) of Cullman will be held on Saturday February 12, 2011 at 4:00 P.M. at The First Baptist Church of Cullman with Dr. Edwin Hayes officiating. Mr. Tate will lie in state at the church one hour prior to the service.

A Graveside service will be held on Sunday February 13, 2011 at 2:00 P.M. at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville Alabama.

Colonel (Ret) Roy Askew Tate, 93, passed away quietly at his home in Cullman County Thursday February 10, 2011. He was born to Roy Patterson and Pattie Will Askew Tate in Starkville Mississippi on January 2, 1918 and grew up in a farming family. Following his graduation from Mississippi State, he was commissioned a 2LT in the Army Coast Artillery and married his beloved wife, Dollye Germany Tate.

Roy had a highly distinguished career in the military, serving in combat in WWII having crossed Normandy Beach with his 390th AAA Battalion. He again served his country in combat in the Korean War with his 52nd AAA Battalion, where he won and was presented the Purple Heart and Silver Star by Vice President Barkley.

Retiring from the military, Roy continued his contributions to his nation by working on the highly successful design and construction of the Lunar Rover in the Saturn V program. He then returned to his farming roots in Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. While a long time resident of Huntsville, he was elected to President of the Madison County Cattlemen’s Association, and proudly inducted into the Madison County Military Hall of Heroes.

Roy was a faithful Christian and a member of the Huntsville and Cullman First Baptist Churches. A passionate patriot, caring husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, Roy was preceded in death by his parents, wife: Dollye Tate, Brother: Franklin Tate, Sister: Pattie Jean Dent. He is survived by:1 Daughter: Dr. Robin (Michael) Hall of Cullman, 2 Sons: Roy (Susie) Tate of Huntsville, David (Andrea) Tate of Louisville, Ky. 6 Grandchildren: Sarah Tate, Natalie Tate, Christie Ray, Pattie Tate, Graham Hall and Tate Hall, 2 Great Grandchildren: Michael and Katie Ray.

Visitation will be on Saturday February 12, 2001 at First Baptist Church of Cullman from 3 P.M. until service time at 4:00 P.M.