Lois Pate

Lois Kate Griffith Ledford Pate, age 97, was born in Mitchell County on April 28, 1928, to Henry Ward Beecher and Nellie Masters Griffith. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sons, Gregory Ward Ledford, Randall Delane Ledford, her husbands, Buster B. Ledford and Eston L. Pate. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Eugene Griffith and Joyce Griffith Tipton, and beloved nieces Sondra Griffith Hensley, Sharon Griffith Tittle, and beloved grandson-in-law Robert Moyle.
Surviving are her daughter-in-law Wanda Gouge Ledford (Randall), granddaughters Jennifer Ledford Bentley (Rob) and Janet Ledford Moyle, five great-grandchildren, Alexander, Sebastian, and Zachary Bentley and Katelyn and Brayden Moyle. Also surviving are nephews Steve Tipton, Dwight Griffith, and her niece, Leslee Griffith Reuning.
Kate is also survived by her two stepsons, Phillip R. Pate (Brenda) and Steve Pate (Becky); four step-grandchildren, Sherry Pate Tipton (Dean), Luke Pate (Jerica), Brittany Pate McKinney (Jody), and Kristy Pate Brown (Anthony); and 12 step-great-grandchildren,
Kate attended Appalachian State Teachers College after graduating from Tipton Hill High School. She married Buster Ledford after he returned from WWII. They lived in Baltimore, Maryland in the early 1950s for several years before returning to live in the Tipton Hill community of Mitchell County in 1958. After Buster's death in 1970, Kate worked in the Mitchell County School system for several years and then later as a social worker at the Mitchell County Department of Social Services. She married Eston Pate in 1978, and upon her retirement, she and Eston enjoyed traveling the United States on several Christian bus tours, as well as traveling to the Florida beaches with their dear friends Scott and Gail Griffith.
Kate was a lifelong member of the Church of the Brethren but also attended Huntdale Union Church in Mitchell County in her later years.
Jeff Brewer, minister of Brummetts Creek Church of the Brethren and Adam Davis, chaplain at Hospice of the Blue Ridge officiated her funeral.
Pallbearers were Dwight Griffith, Steve Tipton, Rob Bentley, Roddy Pate, Steve Pate, Luke Pate and Alexander Bentley. Honorary pallbearers were Jerry Griffith, Joe Griffith, Jody McKinney, Joseph Rannazzisi, great-grandsons and step-great-grandsons.
The funeral was held at the Brummetts Church of the Brethren, 6243 North Carolina Hwy 197 on Oct. 12, 2025 in Green Mountain.
The family received friends prior to the service from 3 p.m. until 4 p.m.
Burial was at Pleasant Grove Church of the Brethren cemetery at 1717 Harrell Hill Road, Bakersville, N.C.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The American Cancer Society or NC Alzheimer's Association.
Webb Funeral Home of Spruce Pine is assisting the family.