Gordon P. Tate

PETERSHAM - Rev. Gordon P. Tate, 89 of 301 West Rd., Petersham, died Monday, March 17, 2008 in the Baldwinville Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Baldwinville. He was born in Concord, MA, on April 25, 1918, the son of the late Charles B. and the late Lula M. (Cummings) Tate. He graduated from Acton High School in 1936. He graduated from Gordon College formerly in Boston in 1940. He received a Master of Sacred Theology from Andover Newton Theological Seminary. He studied at Mass General and Boston City Hospitals and became a Certified Member of the Mental Health Clergy Association. Ordained in the Allagash, Maine Baptist Church in 1941 and spent two years at the Federated Church in Lisbon, Maine. In 1943 he became the pastor of the Lakeview Congregational Church in Waltham. While there, he was the chaplain at the Walter E. Fernald School in Waltham and Templeton for 31 years. In 1970, he came to the Petersham Orthodox Congregational Church where he was Pastor for 16 years, retiring in 1986. He was a former member of the Waltham Lodge of Masons, Massachussetts Council of Churches and the Petersham Lions Club. He was the Chaplain to the Petersham Police and Fire Departments. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Athol-Clinton Co-Operative Bank and was active with the Protestant Youth Center of Baldwinville. He was a life long Red Sox fan. He leaves one son: Harold Tate and his wife Janet of Merrimack NH; three daughters: Cheryl Ravenscroft and her husband John of Oro Valley, AZ; Laurel Rust and her husband Everett of Bath, NH; Velma Spann and her husband James of Red Level, AL; his close friend and care provider Carol Ouelette of Petersham; one daughter-in-law: Patricia Tate of Allston; thirteen Grandchildren, twenty-two Great Grandchildren, six Great Great Grandchildren; and several nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his first wife Rosalie (Doleman) Tate who died in 1968; by his second wife Florence (Rennie) Tate who died in 1996 and by his son Arthur Tate who died in 2003. Funeral services will be held at Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 11:00 am in the Petersham Orthodox Congregational Church, Route 32, Petersham. Burial will follow in West Road Cemetery. Calling hours will be held Friday, March 21, 2008 from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. at the Fiske Funeral Home, 1356 Main St., Athol. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in his memory to the Petersham Orthodox Congregation Church, P.O. Box 354, Petersham. MA 01366. For more information or to sign our online guest book please visit www.fiskefuneralhome.com. Fiske Funeral Home 1356 Main Street, Athol is directing arrangements. $(document).ready(function(){ });