Velma Diane (Mitchell) Tate
Published 11:00 am Monday, December 5, 2016
Velma Diane (Mitchell) Tate, 77, of Picayune, Miss., beloved wife and best friend of James Thomas Tate for 59 years, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on December 2, 2016. Diane’s unwavering faith in God, and the love and prayers of family, friends, and many supporters carried her through her battle with cancer.
Diane was predeceased by her dearly loved daughter, Daphne Delphine Tate who tragically died in a car accident in 1981. She was also predeceased by her parents Robert and Velma (Cooper) Mitchell, and her brothers Robert Mitchell, Jr. and Kent Mitchell.
Diane is survived by daughters Belinda (Tate) Fornea, Cynthia (Tate) Mills, and Catherine (Tate) Dutton, by son-in-laws, Dr. Stanley W. Fornea and James Dutton, by grandchildren Lance Mills, Jr., Lanae (Mills) Brose, Benjamin Fornea, Brandon Mills, Brooke (Fornea) Herrington, Andrew Dutton and Nathanial Dutton, (and spouses/fiancée’s Michelle Mills, Dino Brose, Kenny Herrington, and Chloe Frost), and by great-grandchildren Kaden Brose, Bronson Brose, Montana Mills, Evangelia Brose and Hunter Mills.
Her most cherished accomplishment was her faith and her family, as wife to Jim, father to four daughters, Nanny to seven grand-children and to five great-grandchildren. She will be always remembered as a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose greatest passion was her Christian witness and taking care of her family, along with helping others.
Diane earned a B.A. from the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz. She was a dynamic individual who cherished the spirit and hope of young people that eventually led her down a path of teaching high school English. She took great joy and pride in her work shepherding her students through their high school years for 28 years. Many close friends are left to miss her wise counsel as well as her loving company.
She was an active member of the New Palestine Baptist Church, belonged to a sew club and worked with various charities. She was loving and compassionate. She was a great scholar and student of God’s word. She was a caring teacher. She gathered her strength from the authority of God’s word. Everything she did was to glorify God. She has finished her course. She has left a fine example of how to live by her words and her actions. Now she can rest in peace. She has now come to the time for which she lived. This is not the end, but the beginning. Our comfort lies in the truth….”Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.”
Her family would like to invite everyone to celebrate her life on Tuesday, December 6th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Open to family from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.), at McDonald Funeral Home, 401 West Canal Street, Picayune, Miss., with services and burial at New Palestine Baptist Church, 233 Palestine Road, Picayune, Miss., on Wednesday, December 7th at 2:00 p.m. Dr. Stanley Wayne Fornea, Dr. Josh Braddy, and Mr. Geri Grubbs will officiate. Burial will be at New Palestine Cemetery following the services. Memorial contributions may be made to the College Scholarship Fund at New Palestine Church. McDonald Funeral Home is caring for the arrangements.
Obituary, register book, and driving directions can be found on the Internet page at www.mcdonaldfh.com.
