SAVANNAH, GEORGIA - Wilbur ‘Bill” Fitzgerald Tate, Jr., 77, of Savannah, Georgia, husband of Jimmie Johnson Tate, died Wednesday evening, May 4, 2011, at Hospice Savannah.

Born in Yemassee, South Carolina, he was a son of the late Wilbur Fitzgerald Tate, Sr. and the late Donnie Nix Tate. Bill was a United States Navy veteran having served his country in the Korean Conflict. He was a member of Cokesbury United Methodist Church and was retired from the trucking industry. Bill loved to fish and was a former little league baseball coach. He was an avid Savannah Sand Gnats and Atlanta Braves fan. Bill, after he became disabled, thoroughly enjoyed his afternoon rides to Thunderbolt to see the shrimp boats and would always end his trip by visiting his “family” at the Waffle House on Abercorn. He was a loving and wonderful husband and father and an amazing grandfather.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Michael Neher, and one sister, Louise Rix.

Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Jimmie Johnson Tate; three daughters, Kim Ramos of Savannah, Sally Deal and her husband, Roscoff, of Savannah, and Susan West and her husband, Kim, of Acworth, Georgia; one son, Bill Tate and his wife, Christine, of Savannah; his daughter-in-law, Renee Neher of Savannah; thirteen grandchildren; four great-grandchildren, and one sister, Donnie Garrison of Savannah.

The family will receive friends from 12:30 until 1:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon at Gamble Funeral Service - 410 Stephenson Avenue.

The funeral service will be held at 1:30 o'clock Saturday afternoon in the chapel of Gamble Funeral Service conducted by The Reverend David S. Templeton, Chaplain at Hospice House.  Interment will be in Hillcrest Abbey Memorial Park - East.

Remembrances: Hospice Savannah - Post Office Box #13190, Savannah, Georgia 31416-0190.