Pat’s Early Life
Patricia Tate was an amazing person who got the most out of life even though widowed at a young age. This made her even more determined to enjoy life and really appreciate and value the friendships and closeness of her family as much as possible.
Pat was born in Barlborough, Derbyshire on May 18th 1929 to Noel James and Ada Winifred Hopkin.  She was extremely proud of her parents and had a close relationship with them. Noel was a handsome young man who became deputy manager of Nottingham Theatre. He then moved in to insurance, and spent the rest of his working life at The Prudential. Ada was a hard-working and loyal wife and mother and lived to the amazing age of 99. Pat had two younger siblings – Gladys Mary (known as Mary) and Philip Ellis.
The family lived at Evesham Road, just off Narborough Road in Leicester. It was a terraced house with a long back garden and an outside toilet. Pat did not remember Mary being born, however Phil was born when she was seven. She and Mary were sent away to stay with Grandma (a seamstress who made bridesmaid dresses for both the girls) and Grandad. When they arrived home, baby brother Philip had arrived. The siblings were all very close to each other throughout their lives. One memory Pat had was going tap dancing with Mary and taking Phil along, as they had to look after him. Another memory Pat recalled was of a chimney catching fire and Noel carrying her downstairs and to a neighbour’s house for safety.
The family didn’t have many holidays but a trip to Torquay and seaside holidays were special treats.
Patricia was ten when the Second World War broke out. She remembered helping her mother with her siblings as Noel had to move to Warwick where he was stationed and worked in supplies for the Ordnance Corps.
Patricia went on to attend Newarke Girls Grammar School in Leicester and she was a very conscientious pupil, loving to learn. She did very well, particularly in Maths and English. Noel wanted her to stay on at school and go to university but she decided to start work when she was 16. Rosemary remembers her mother telling her she had wanted to go to Africa and be a missionary but Noel wouldn’t hear of it. She did become a Sunday School teacher in her mid-twenties and started a new Sunday School in Leicester.
A pivotal moment in Pat’s life came when she was working at Adam’s Heath Insurance Company and worked alongside a gentleman called Cyril Henry Tate. He used to help Pat to complete her work. Pat and Cyril quickly fell in love and married on August 29th 1953, a rainy day, at Holy Trinity Church in Leicester.
They went on to have two children, Ian and Rosemary, whose upbringing was happy and secure. Pat and Cyril worked very hard to give the children all they needed and loved them unconditionally. They encouraged their children to take part in everything that was offered to them. Both Ian and Rosemary feel that Pat and Cyril were perfect role models for them.
The family home was a semi-detached house on a modern estate with a big garden. They grew gooseberries, raspberries, rhubarb, apples and many vegetables. The family enjoyed typical annual holidays at the seaside and in the countryside.
Christmas was always celebrated with Pat’s extended family alternating between their houses. There was great fun playing endless games and Pat always prepared a delicious wonderful lunch and evening buffet.
Pat’s working life resumed once the children were older as a school secretary at Roundhill High School in Thurmaston. Ian and Rosemary remember her knowing everything that was going on in the school. The staff congregated often around her office for support and they say the headmaster relied on her for almost everything about the school!
Pat’s Later Life
Pat’s life was to change entirely on July 21st 1975 when Cyril died, suddenly, at the age of 52. Pat was only 46, Ian was 19 and Rosemary was 17.
She had to dig really deep to carry on after Cyril’s death and dig she did; she showed such fortitude, such strength at an extremely sorrowful time in all their lives. She carried on working and also trained as a Yoga teacher who taught adult evening classes for a number of years, and became Chair of the local Townswomen’s Guild. She moved to a smaller bungalow in Sileby, Leicestershire and later applied for the position of Housemistress at Parson’s Mead Girls School in Surrey.
It took a lot of courage to decide to leave Leicestershire, where she had lived all her life, and start a completely new and different life. She lived on the school campus and was involved 100% in the school and everyone soon got to know and respect her. She looked after the boarders, many of whom were from overseas, with the same dedication, care and devotion she gave to everyone. She worked tirelessly to ensure the girls were entertained, often driving groups of them to various places in the school minibus.
When she retired, she bought a flat in Leatherhead and continued with the interests she had in Ashtead. Bowls, Bridge, knitting, sewing and gardening being the main ones. She was a very active member of Leatherhead Bowls club, playing in competitions where she won many medals and trophies, as well as working hard on many committees. She carried on with these activities for as long as she could.
Pat loved the outdoors and gardening all her life. She spent hours digging, planting, hoeing, weeding and tending to the plants in each garden she owned. She also worked hard on other people’s gardens (including Bill and Guy’s) and she was really appreciated for this and for so many thoughtful works she carried out throughout her life.
Rosemary, who married David in 1987, and Ian, who married Lucy in 1990, all lived a long way from Pat: Rosemary in Peru for six years and then in Exmouth, Devon; and Ian in Peru for three years and Argentina until today. This must have been hard for Pat, however she continued to enjoy a busy life and visited them whenever she could, which was as often as possible.
Pat went on to become a proud grandmother to Sebastian, Bethan, Christian, and Dominic, visiting them for weeks at a time. She got to know them very well and both Sebastian and Christian lived with her for a while after they finished their university studies in the UK before returning to Argentina.
As soon as Pat felt ready she began ‘dating’ a little and met Bill. They enjoyed life, especially dancing, dining out and travelling to exotic places together. They also played bowls and were instrumental in starting a new bowls club in Thurmaston. They were very happy but were never going to get married. When Pat moved to Surrey, Bill stayed in Leicestershire and they maintained a long-distance relationship for many years until Bill passed away in 2000. Uncle Bill, as he was called, was the grandad figure for all Pat’s grandchildren and he loved them all.
Through the Bowls Club in Leatherhead, she then met Les and they developed a close relationship until he passed away. Les had a large family who embraced Pat as they saw the happiness that both brought to each other.
Another member of the bowls club, Guy, asked Pat for a date, she accepted and Guy became her third (and last) ‘boyfriend.’ They also played bridge and bowls together for a few years. He helped Pat to remain independent for as long as possible after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017.
For her 85th birthday, Ian, Rosemary, brother Phil, Lucy and Rosemary’s husband Chris, took Pat on the dream cruise to the Norwegian Fjords she had always hoped to do with Cyril one day.
In 2017, it was apparent that Pat’s Alzheimer's meant that she couldn't live independently any longer, so she moved to a care home in Exmouth to be close to Rosemary, who looked after her in her final years with the same care, love and dedication that Pat showed to her children during their lives. Pat enjoyed going out, and she and Rosemary continued to go for walks along Exmouth seafront, around local National Trust gardens and out for lunches and cream teas until this became too difficult for her.
Pat’s family are incredibly proud of her for all her achievements. She was devoted to them, and to her friends, always showing fairness to everyone.  Her family values came out strongly in all she did and she made sure everyone else was okay before she was.
So, we say today: Patricia Tate, loyal daughter, caring sister, devoted wife, loving mother, special grandmother and above all, friend: you are loved so very much and you will be deeply missed.