DENNIS — Bill E. Tate Sr., 72, of rural Dennis died early Saturday morning at his home. His death was unexpected.

He was born on July 8, 1939, at Vinita, Okla., to Odes and Verlie (Weddle) Tate. The family moved to Coffeyville, where he grew up and attended Coffeyville schools.

He moved to Odessa, Mo., where he owned and operated a welding shop for many years. He moved to Parsons in 1984 where he also worked as a welder. He retired in 2006.

He married Virginia Cordell at Coffeyville. They later divorced. He married Julie (Unruh) Hill on Jan. 26, 1990, at Miami, Okla. She survives of the home.

Tate sang and played the guitar in several bands while he lived at Odessa. He enjoyed fishing and the outdoors. In his youth he attended the Assembly of God Church at Coffeyville.

In addition to his wife he is survived by a son, Billy E. Tate Jr. of Odessa, Mo.; his daughter, Rhonda Sue Coffey of Fairview, Mo.; four grandchildren, Curtis Tate, Andrea Tate, Jason Kinnaman and Joshua Kinnaman; six great-grandchildren; a stepdaughter, Jaylene Shea of Wichita; two stepgrandchildren, Maxwell Shea and Ava Shea; a brother, Dallas Tate of Coffeyville; and two sisters, Dorothy Fultz of Altamont and Deloris Bennett of Conway, Ark.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Odes Tate and Jerry Tate; and two sisters, Neoma Bowman and Martha Colleen "Cokie" Brinker.

The service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Dennis. Friends may call the funeral home at their convenience.

Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association and these may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, 112 N. 26th St., P.O. Box 942, Parsons, 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.