George T. Tade

1923 - 2006

George T. Tade, PhD., emeritus dean of the Texas Christian University College of Fine Arts and Communications, passed away, Saturday, June 10, 2006, in Fort Worth.

Memorial service: 11 a.m. Tuesday at University Christian Church. Dr. Alan Lobaugh will officiate. Burial: private in Greenwood Memorial Park. Visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Greenwood Funeral Home.

Memorials: may be given to the George T. Tade Scholarship Fund at Texas Christian University, Office of Scholarships, 2800 S. University Drive, Fort Worth 76129; YWCA of Fort Worth, 512 W. Fourth St., Fort Worth 76102; University Christian Church, 2720 University Drive, Fort Worth 76109; or Community Hospice of Texas, 6100 Western Place, Suite 500, Fort Worth 76107.

George Tade was born on Dec. 17, 1923, in Casey, Ill., to T.C. Tade and Lena Myers Tade. He married Wilma Jean Daily July 7, 1946. After graduating from Casey High School he earned B.S. and M.S. degrees from Indiana State University and his Ph.D from the University of Illinois. He was ordained to the ministry of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, in 1946.

George served as professor and dean of Greenville College, Greenville, Ill., as professor and dean of Chapman University, Orange, Calif., and successively as professor and chair of the Department of Speech Communication, chair of the Division of Humanities and dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Texas Christian University.

After retirement he served as interim headmaster for Fort Worth Academy and as mentor and adviser in the Center for Academic Services at TCU.

As an ordained minister, Dr. Tade served interim pastorates in Illinois and Texas. He provided consultative services for the North Central College Accrediting Agency, the National Legislative Assembly, the American Right-of-Way Association and others.

George served as chairman of the National Conference of Academic Deans, president of the Texas Council on the Arts in Education, president of the Texas Speech Communication Association and on the executive council of the Southern Speech Communication Association. He is listed in "Who's Who in America," "Who's Who in American Education," "Directory of American Scholars," and the "Dictionary of International Biography."

In 1978, Dr. Tade was one of the first American educators allowed to visit the People's Republic of China; and he was a member of the International Council of Fine Arts Deans that visited Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela.

He served his community as chairman of the board of trustees of University Christian Church, on the executive board of the Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, on the board of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, board of Fort Worth Academy and was vice president of the YWCA Foundation.

George Tade will be remembered by his friends and colleagues for his professional integrity, wit and wisdom, by his students for his care and insight, by young professionals for his mentoring and advice, and by his church for his commitment and dedication. He will be remembered for his kindness, patience, loyalty and devotion to his family, his church, his profession, and to TCU.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Terry Nan Tade Helmick.

Survivors: Wife, Wilma Jean; daughter, Mitzi and husband, Dr. Donald Mills; grandchildren, George Mills, M.D. and wife, Karla of McGregor and Jessica Mills of Columbia, Mo.; great-grandchildren, Andrew and Allison of McGregor; and son-in-law, Thomas Helmick.