Roland Ray Tate was born March 7, 1930 in Boise, Idaho, the first child of Gwendolyn Alice Sant. Dearly loved, Ray was raised by his single mother, several step fathers, and with the loving support of his grandma Sant, his aunties, and his friends and teachers from church. Ray developed a life-long love of the outdoors and learned the values of service and honor as a boy scout and ROTC cadet. Ray had a strong testimony of the gospel and found great comfort in his faith. Outgoing and good-natured, with a charming sense of humor, he attracted many life-long friends and he cherished reuniting with his Idaho Falls High School classmates of 1948 well into his 80's.
Ray attended Idaho State College where he played football before being called to serve his country in the Korean war. Honorably discharged, Ray returned home with the desire to serve a mission. With the generosity of his Bishop, Ray answered the call to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in what was then the Central States Mission headquartered in Minneapolis/St. Paul. It was there that he first met Sister Miriam Burton, who was also serving a mission. When they finished their missions, Miriam encouraged Ray to enroll at Brigham Young University, where she was attending school. A courtship ensued and Ray and Miriam were married in the Logan Temple on December 15, 1955.
Ray graduated from Brigham Young University in 1959 and took a position as a teacher at Ogden High School. He loved to teach and by all accounts was excellent in the classroom. Over his life, Ray had many church callings, including branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilman, seminary teacher and many others, but his favorite church calling was gospel doctrine teacher, combining his love for the gospel and love of teaching. To support his growing family, Ray took a position with Job Corps, moving his family to Cottonwood and then Grangeville, Idaho. Ray and Miriam loved the outdoors and enjoyed taking their six children hiking the Idaho vistas, picnicking on the riverbanks, and spending summer vacations with loved cousins and grandparents. Ray's work took him to Anaconda, Montana; Orofino and Pocatello, Idaho before moving to Vernal, Utah, were Ray served as the Public Information Officer for the Bureau of Land Management. Ray turned his life-long love of photography into a professional responsibility, taking hundreds of photos of the stunning panoramas of Eastern Utah. Ray and Miriam enjoyed 23 years in Vernal exploring the beauty of the public lands, hosting family and friends, and taking their grandchildren to see Dinosaur Monument, Fantasy Canyon, Indian Petroglyphs, and Steinaker Lake.
After their retirement, Ray and Miriam chose to serve a senior mission and were called to work in Public Affairs in the Manila Philippines Mission where they developed a deep love of Filipino people during their 18 months there.
Ray and Miriam reluctantly left Vernal, to return to Miriam's childhood hometown, Malad, Idaho, to be closer to family. In 2014 they moved back to Utah and were living at Sunrise of Sandy when Ray passed away April 10, 2019 surrounded by his loving wife of 63 years and family members.
Ray Tate is preceded in death by Gwendolyn Alice Sant (mother), Roland Alexander George (father), Edwin L. Anderson (step-father), Tom Tate (brother), Ann Tate Alger (daughter). He is survived by Helen Miriam Burton Tate (wife), children Alice Tate, Steven Ray Tate, George Edwin Tate, Helen Tate and Amy Tate, and grandchildren Steven Toshio Alger, Miriam Fumiko Alger, Miya Ray Alger, Emma Lee Reich, Stevie Ray Tate, Nick Thorsfieldt, Breanna Foster, and two great grandchildren Zackery and Riley.
Family will receive visitors Sunday, April 14th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E. 10600 S., Sandy, Utah and again from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., April 15th at Sandy Cottonwood Creek Stake Center, 1535 E. Creek Rd. Services will be held immediately following at 2:00 p.m. at the Sandy Cottonwood Creek Stake Center. Interment will take place at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery.
