Forrest Clayton Pate, 75, of Chula passed away Sunday, March 23, 2003, at Tift Health Care following a lengthy illness. A graveside funeral service was held for Mr. Pate at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2003, at Mount Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Chula, where he was laid to rest. The Rev. Larry Layfield and the Rev. Mark Sickling officiated.
Clay Pate, Stacy Winslett, Wilt Jones, Alex Sumner, Wilton Jones, Curtis Day, Billy Pate and Curtis Woodard served as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Leroy Saylor and Mike Willis.
Born October 2, 1927, in Turner County, Mr. Pate was the son of the late Charlie pate and Leila Britt Pate. He was also preceded in death by three brothers and four sisters. Before retiring, he was a herdsman with the University of Georgia Animal Science Department for 30 years; and he was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Chula. He was an avid coon hunter and enjoyed raising chickens; and he had lived most of his life in the Tifton and Chula area.
Mr. Pate is survived by his wife, Mamie L. Yown Pate of Chula; one son and daughter-in-law, Leon and Gwen Pate of Tifton; two daughters and sons-in-law, Jo Anne and Curtis Day of Alabama and Judy and Wilton Jones of Tifton; one brother, J. W. Pate of Tifton; four grandchildren and their spouses, Dona and Alex Sumner, Wilt and Jessica Jones, Rayna and Stacy Winslett and Clay and Krista Pate; and ten great-grandchildren, Alexis Sumner, Eli Sumner, Harlee Jones, Joplin Jones, Cody Winslett, Jake Winslett, Ariel Pitts, Brian Tomko, Nichole Lamb and Omie Pate.