Reverend Dennis Ray Tate

Reverend Dennis Ray Tate, 79, of Ada, Oklahoma, went to be with the Lord on May 8 ^th , 2023.

Memorial services will be held Thursday, May 11 ^th , 2023 at 1:30 PM at Ada's Homer Baptist Church.

Dennis was born on October 16, 1943, in Washington, D.C. He was the youngest of Harry and Gladys Tate's nine children. Harry worked for the federal government, and after World War II, the family returned to Oklahoma.

Dennis was raised in the town of Cement and graduated from Cement High School. Although he did not know it at the time, his future wife, Carolyn Pyzner, of almost 57 years, was attending the same small school. He moved to Ada, Oklahoma, to attend college at East Central University, where he obtained a degree in Psychology and Sociology.

Dennis and Carolyn were married on August 18, 1966, at the First Baptist Church of Cement. They made their home in the Ada area for the majority of their marriage.

While in Ada, he was part of the Army National Guard and an insurance agent for Mutual of Omaha. Then in 1969, Dennis fulfilled his lifelong call and became an ordained minister with the Southern Baptist Convention.

He pastored Baptist churches in Roff, Ahloso, Francis and at Anadarko's Virginia Avenue. However, the bulk of his ministry was at Ada's Homer Baptist Church. There, he would pastor for almost thirty years. In addition to leading a church, Dennis worked as a social worker for the Department of Human Services in Wewoka.

Once retired, he went on several international mission trips to continue sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Carolyn Tate, who served alongside Dennis in his ministries by playing the piano, singing, and leading many of the church's youth programs.

His six children and one grandson also survive him: Denise Swarowsky and husband Marc; Deanna Bowen and her son Tate Bowen; Shari Bingham and husband Michael; Brian Tate and wife Shanna; Justin Tate, and Jared Tate. His son-in-law, Matthew Bowen preceded him in death in 2018.

He is also survived by his sister Juanita Whitely and his brother Burney Tate.

He is preceded in death by his sisters, Betty Angle and Joyce Cauthron; his brothers, Robert Tate, James Tate, Harry Tate Jr., and Donald Tate.

Dennis mentioned several times during the last years of his life that he was ready to be with his Lord. He saw a bumper sticker once that he liked and decided to make it his life's guiding principle…"One's life will soon be passed; only what's done for Christ will last."