Annie Ruth Tate

Annie Ruth (Milford) Tate passed away at home on December 6, 2023, surrounded by loved ones.
Annie Ruth Tate was born in Shelby County on June 26, 1927, the daughter of Hugh Henry and Ethel Bush Milford. She grew up in Timpson, TX and graduated from Timpson High School in 1944. After high school she married Bernell Tate and together they had four sons, Terry, Tony, Timothy and Travis. Though the family relocated a few times, they were drawn back to the Piney Woods of East Texas. She was a faithful member of Corinth Missionary Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School. She loved the Lord and told many people about Jesus. In 1974 she opened her own beauty shop and enjoyed sharing her talents and her faith in Jesus with everyone that would listen.
An avid bird watcher, Annie's family was told on several occasions, "I don't buy whiskey, I might as well buy bird seed". The peaceful concentration of watching her birds carried over into another hobby, puzzles. Here she had an intensity in her way of completing each puzzle, never allowing anyone helping to complete the edges first, always starting in the middle. Neither of these hobbies provided her with the joy that she had in her family and in the love of her Lord. She made sure those around her and close to her knew how to get into heaven. She would often quote from the Bible, and if she heard another person quoting a verse could finish their quote or give the next verse. Annie had a saying she was fond of, "God's people never meet for the last time". Annie has met those that have gone before and will be waiting to meet again those yet to come.
Annie is survived by sons, Terry Tate and wife, Tina, Tony Tate, and Tim Tate, grandchildren, Andy Tate and wife, Claire and Barry Tate and wife, Brynne, and great-grandchild, Noah Tate. She is preceded in death by her son, Travis Tate, parents, Hugh Henry and Ethel Bush Milford, brother, Oran H. "Pete" Milford, sisters, Emma Lee Milford and Hazel Milford, and daughter-in-law, Cindy Tate.
Serving the family as pallbearers will be Andy Tate, Barry Tate, Quinn Timmons, Mason Ramsey, Charles Goolsby and Emmett Harvey.
In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donation be made to Corinth Missionary Baptist Church or to Corinth Cemetery.
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