David TATE

David H. Tate (Navy Captain, retired)
September 4, 1931 - October 2, 2015
David Henry Tate, born in Edgeley, Saskatchewan, passed away peacefully on the evening of October 2, 2015, surrounded by love at Stanton Territorial Hospital, Yellowknife, NT.
Dave attended high school at Notre Dame College (Wilcox, Saskatchewan), one of Pere Murry's "Hounds" and Scott Collegiate (Regina). He excelled academically and athletically, playing football and hockey during the depression years.
Dave proudly served the military, joining the Royal Canadian Navy in 1950; he completed training in Trenton, Ontario, and was awarded his Wings in 1951 at Centralia as Naval Aviator. He was a graduate of Canadian National Defence College, the RCAF Staff College (Toronto, Ontario) and the Empire Test Pilots School (Farnborough, England).
He served on the Fury Squadron 871 (Seafury remained Dave's favourite plane); VT 40 Squadron, Shearwater, NS; Executive Officer VX10 Tracker Squadron (Shearwater, NS); Royal Military College-Staff (Kingston, On); served on HMCS Destroyers Mic Mac and Iroquois, HMCS Athabasca and Aircraft Carriers HMCS Bonaventure (Bonnie) and Magnificent (Maggie) as an air craft carrier pilot; Commanding Officer Sub- marine squadron VS 880 (Shearwater, Nova Scotia); Senior Test Pilot/Deputy Commander Aerospace Engineering & Test Establishment AETE (CFB Cold Lake, Alberta); Canadian Military Staff Officer NATO Headquarters (Brussels, Belgium); Base Commander, home base Snowbirds,(CFB Moosejaw, Saskatchewan); and Program Manager CP-140 Aurora Program Lockheed (Burbank, California). Dave's log book documents 62 different aircraft flown before hanging up his wings. Dave often referred to his time in military service as the best years of his life, and loved those with whom he served.
Upon retiring from the Canadian Military (32 years), Dave continued his work life in the private sector as Director Marketing for Sperry Aerospace and Marine Group and Executive Vice President Comtest Telecommunications and Instrumentation Companies. Dave's work life concluded as Director of Military Flight Training, Aviation Training Centre for Canadair (Portage/ Southport, Manitoba).
Dave volunteered for a variety of charitable organizations, and passionately for the Canadian Aviation & Space Museum (Ottawa, ON) for another decade. WINGS ON MY SLEEVE, a documentary produced by Museum can be viewed at the Canadian Aviation & Space Museum and online. He was a member of SNAG (Sea Naval Air Group), whom he cherished.
Dave and wife Mary left their retirement home in Ottawa three and a half years ago, pulling up stakes for the 17th move in their life together, heading north to reside in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories with daughter and son-in-law Jane and Dwight Peart and grandchildren.
Dave was a man of great faith and led a life of devotion to the church, his family and his friends. He will be remembered for his kindness, humility, compassion and humour.
Predeceased by father Robert Clarence (Spud) Tate and mother Agnes Sara Tate.
Survived by wife of over 60 years Mary (Mar) Tate; daughter Jane (Dwight) Peart; son Paul (Kelly) Tate; daughter Julia (Todd) Burlingame; grandchildren Julie (Bjorn), George (Trapper), Chad, Ed (Steph), and Sheldon; great-granddaughter Lucy; and sister Carole Powell.
The family wishes to express our infinite gratitude to Dr. Jackie Tan and the physicians and nursing staff of Stanton Territorial Hospital for your dedication in the care and treatment of Dave throughout his time in Yellowknife, and particularly these past months. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation.
A private family service was held on October 6, 2015 at St. Patrick's Church, Yellowknife, NT.
As Dave often said, "They were all very fine to me."