Pamela Tate
Jan. 30, 1942-Feb. 12, 2016
Santa Rosa, California

Pamela Dodd Tate was born and raised in Colon, Panama. She had an English father and an American mother, which made her three nationalities: English, naturalized American and Panamanian by birth.

She moved to Palo Alto, California, with her parents, later graduating from San Jose State University with a degree in behavioral science. She married Darrel Tate and had two children, Angelie "Angie" and Christopher Tate, all of whom she loved dearly, plus her pet cats, chickens and Katie the Bassett Hound.

She taught at Miss Harker Day School, gave private piano lessons, and later opened her own nonprofit management business, Peninsula Association Management of Palo Alto. She attended Peninsula Bible Church, later attending Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and then First Presbyterian Church of Santa Rosa.

After numerous trips to the U.K. Pamela and Darrel moved to Yorkshire, England, and later, the Isle of Mull, Scotland, to get to know her family better, to photograph English villages and to research strong Christian women in the early church. St. Hilda of Whitby was her favorite. Upon returning to the States, she held over 15 Christian Celtic workshops and retreats at Holy Trinity.

She was a volunteer most of her life, enjoying people, animals, and the opportunity to serve and to learn. Some of her volunteer work included teaching Sunday school and playing the piano for services at Peninsula Bible Church, working at the Women's Resource Center in Palo Alto, squirrel rescue at The Wildlife Rescue Center, and singing in the choir and teaching at Holy Trinity.

She is survived by her husband, Darrel Tate; children, Angie Tate and Chris Tate; and grandchildren, Chelsea Tate, Connor Tate, Chase Tate, and Nicole Scott Stein.

Tags: business, public service