Donald Holmes Tate

Dad was born on October 1, 1931 in Redmond, Oregon, to Richard and Hazel Tate. Together, with his older brother Richard, they lived on and helped run a family ranch just outside of Culver for a number of years before moving into town, where Dick and Hazel lived until their passing. the ranch property and house are at the bottom of what is now the Haystack reservoir. After graduating from high school, dad joined the Navy, and served aboard the USS Cabildo, an LSD landing ship, and served during the Korean war as a pipefitter. When he returned home, he met the love of his life, Carol Eyler, who at the time was a waitress in the tiny burg of Madras. They got married on May 31, 1957, and started a family, and raised two sons, David and John. The family lived in Langlois as he worked as a grade school principle in Port Orford until he retired in 1988. Dad loved kids, which led him in his desire to help shape young minds, and be concerned with their welfare. Over the years, I had been approached by several different people that remembered dad, and for sometimes having to visit the principles office, where he could be strict but always fair in meting out punishment. He was always trying different things to try his hand at during the summer months, among them commercial fishing, gold panning, raising rabbits, gardening and picking brush. It was in this last endeavor, that dad helped nurture in his boys the love for the outdoors, where he did his best to teach two unruly boys how to identify the natural world, whether it was plants or animals. After retirement, dad enjoyed a multitude of things, like planting trees and working around the cabin they owned in Camas valley. Both David and John used to enjoy calling dad and talking at great length about the stuff of life, and sometimes laughing until it made you cry about the stories of our past. If nothing else, there were plenty of stories of our history together to cause the head shaking and laughter, mostly of two goofy boys that didn't seem to have much common sense. We always enjoyed those talks, and the wisdom one could only get from a father. Even after the boys grew up and moved on, dad and mom continued to live in their house in Langlois until his passing on December 7th. He is survived by his wife, Carol, and two boys David and John and daughter in law Yoko. He had multiple grandchildren, Peggy, Dawn, Jake, Daniel, and a few great grandkids as well, Madeline, Clay, and Balsher. Graveside Services will be held at 1:00 PM, Friday, December 15, 2017, at Redmond Memorial Cemetery Funeral Home: Redmond Memorial Chapel 717 SW 6th Street Redmond, OR US 97756

Donald Holmes Tate

October 1, 1931 - December 7, 2017