Virginia Tate

Virginia “Nancy” Lucille Tate, 90, died in Christ on Feb. 15, 2017, in a local health care facility.

Virginia was born Lankershim, Calif., on Dec. 2, 1926. She graduated from La Sierra College in pre-nursing and went on to graduate from the Loma Linda School of Nursing in 1950. She met her husband Bill, in southern California and they married at La Sierra College in 1949. When she completed her nursing training, she moved with Bill to Tennessee, where they both worked in the health care profession, Bill as a nurse anesthetist and she as a registered nurse.

She retired from nursing in 1965. She was an active member of the Collegedale SDA Church, Summerville SDA Church, and most recently the Standifer Gap SDA Church. She especially enjoyed working with the children’s programs.

Virginia had a lifelong interest in music. She played the violin, piano and organ. She enjoyed working in both her flower and vegetable garden. Virginia was a talented cook, learning to make all the Southern dishes that Bill and the family enjoyed. She loved sewing, arts and crafts, especially quilting. She was an avid swimmer and also enjoyed going for daily walks in the neighborhood.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Winford “Bill” Tate and her daughter, Louise Tate.

She is survived by her son, Michael Tate; her daughter, Gayle Tate-Casson; her sonin-law, Jerry Casson; and her extended loving family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, www.alxfdn.org or the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, www.alzinfo.org.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Mickey Mallory officiating.

The interment will follow in Collegedale Memorial Park.

Please visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share words of comfort to the family.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, Feb. 26, from noon to 2 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Road.