Barbara Sue Tate

1936 - 2012

Barbara Sue (Denton) Tate, 75, of Great Falls, Mont., passed away Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012, of natural causes, at her home. Her funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. today (Aug. 24) in the Rose Room at Croxford Funeral Home, 1307 Central Ave., Great Falls. Croxford Funeral Home and Crematory is handling the cremation and arrangements.
Barbara was born Nov. 5, 1936, in Jackson, Miss., to Herbert and Buena (Greene) Denton. She spent her younger years growing up in Mississippi. After she graduated high school, she went to college at the University of Maryland, Millsaps College and New Mexico State University to study marketing management and public relations. Barbara was very professional in all the jobs she had. She was most recently an active vice president of the Great Falls Art Association and active on the Board of Directors of the City County Health Department, and the Chamber of Commerce in Carlsbad, N.M.
Along with the business side of Barbara came her artistic side. She wrote plays that were published in Houston, Texas. She was also a very talented artist. Barbara held many jobs, but she was most passionate about her art and writing. She loved her family and they always came first.
Barbara is survived by her daughters: Catherine Lorrine (Tate) Sargent of Coucmel, Mexico, and Monica June Smith of Great Falls; brother, Carson Plyer of Mississippi; grandchildren: Heather and Carl Getz of Texas, Jay Alan Sargent of Texas and Angel, Chris and Brandon Gates, all of Great Falls; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands: James Jay Tate and Bob Hammer; and son, Herbert Alan Gates.
Condolences to the family may be left at www.croxfordfuneralhome.com