Funeral services were held for Gary Wayne Pate, age 74, on December 26, 2018 at First United Methodist Church in Garland, Texas 75040. The Reverend Caroline Noll officiated.
Gary was born in Houston, Texas on October 14, 1944 to Jack and Betty Pate. He grew up in Corsicana and Oakwood, Texas. Hunting and fishing were two of his favorite hobbies. He lived a simple life and loved his flying squirrel and bird dogs.
Gary graduated from Fairfield High School with the class of 1963. He later attended Navarro College in Corsicana. Gary met Margie Davis of Teague in 1964. They were married in 1966. They later had two boys; Gary Wayne II and Kevin Bradley. The family resided in Dallas, Texas.
Gary began his career working at Montgomery Wards as an appliance salesman in 1966 at the Big Town Shopping Mall in Dallas. He later went to work for Terry Pittmon Trimmings in Dallas. Here he worked as a fashion associate. In his spare time he became interested in the Dallas Police Reserves. He was very active in this and was chosen as Reserve Officer of the Year in the early Nineteen Seventies.
Gary’s main career was with the City of Dallas in the late Seventies. He worked in the Security Division and became a Peace Officer. Gary was very kind-hearted by yet firm in handling situations that arose. He had many friends of all walks of life. He had a tender attitude toward some of the Frasier
Courts tenants but once again, he had to handle difficult situations with difficult people. He saw sorrow and suffering day in and day out. He also worked with the Homeless People in downtown Dallas. He could tell many stories of humanity and suffering. Gary retired in 2001 after nearly 21 years of service.
In 2003, Gary helped take care of his Mother, Betty Pate, of Fairfield after she was struck with Alzheimer’s Disease. Gary was a loving son to his Mother. After his Mom passed away in 2011, he decided to go back to work.
Gary became employed with Hospital Corporation of America as a Medical Courier. He went all over the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex delivering important medical papers, legal papers, specimens, surgical equipment and other things medically necessary for the saving of lives. He was based out of
Medical City of Dallas and knew the medical community inside and out. Gary worked hard and had to hustle all the time. He was well loved by his associates as being a caring and accurate employee.
In 2009, Gary was diagnosed with rectal cancer. He endured radiation and chemotherapy but continued to work. In May of 2014, Gary’s colon ruptured and for the next four years he endured numerous surgeries and hospital stays due to complications from this. Gary passed away on December 22, 2018.
Gary is survived by his wife of 53 years, Margie Davis Pate, of Garland and by sons, Gary Wayne Pate II and wife Rebecca of Paris, France and by Kevin Bradley Pate of Austin, Texas. He is survived by three grandchildren of Paris, France; Isabel, Zoe, and Charlie. Gary was preceded in death by his Father, Jack Pate of Fairfield and by his Mother Betty Pate of Fairfield, Texas.
