Bennie 'Ben' Ray Tate

Bennie Ray Tate, son of the late Charles and Thelma Tate, was born January 25, 1944 in Mountain Grove, Missouri and departed this life on December 20, 2009.
Ben was raised in Mountain Grove, Missouri and graduated from Mountain Grove High School in 1961. He married Linda Starns on October 28, 1961 in the First Baptist Church in Mountain Grove. Three sons were born to this union.
Ben and Linda lived in the Kansas City area for the first twenty years of their marriage. During this time, Ben worked and excelled in the commercial construction industry. In 1982 Ben and Linda moved to Mountain Grove and then later to the Branson area. During this time Ben honed his entrepreneur skills as an artist with Silver Dollar City and later as an owner of a local Branson restaurant.
Ben thoroughly enjoyed each of his patrons and staff during this time of his life. Ben loved his family dearly. He was especially fond of each of his grandchildren. He certainly enjoyed spending time with them and watching each of them experience the joys of life. He loved being the center of attention and thrived on making people laugh and smile.
Ben was preceded in death by his parents and wife.
He is survived by his three sons; Greg and his wife, Diana, of Stilwell, Kansas; Daniel of Reeds Spring, Missouri, and Chad and his wife, Carissa, of Ozark, Missouri; seven grandchildren: Rachel, Shelby, Devin, Andrea, Joshua, Lillian, and Violet; one brother: Dwight Tate and his wife, Linda, of Mountain Grove, Missouri; and a host of other relatives and friends who will miss him dearly.


Memorial Services:
Monday, December 28th at 2:00 PM in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel.
No Formal Visitation
Burial:
Later Date in the Hillcrest Cemetery.
Donations/Contributions:
Southwest Humane Society c/o the funeral home.