The Legacy of our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Sister, & Friend
Essie Ray Tate at the age of 92 transitioned to her Heavenly home on April 7, 2020. She was born April 27, 1927, in Sweet Home Arkansas to the union of James and Jesse Nattee. She was united in marriage to her first love Amos Ray and moved to Chicago, IL in the mid-1940s. Soon thereafter, they relocated to Benton Harbor, MI. From this union, six children were born.
Essie worked for a short time at Mercy Hospital in B. H. until she had to stay home to take care of her growing family. She always made sure the family would sit down for those big Sunday dinners. She made quilts by hand, canned fruit, and crocheted when she wasn’t working in her garden, and planting flowers.
After Amos’s passing, she married her second love Homer Tate on July 4, 1981. A kind and loving man who took on the responsibility of raising her large family even though he had none of his own. Essie accepted Christ as her personal Savior at an early. She was a member of Saint Mark Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. John L. Price and was baptized on Friday, July 31, 1992.
She is survived by her son: Michael Ray of Dallas, TX, daughters Dorothy (Lesley) Golliday, Tanga Ray of B.H. MI and Lolita Ford of Jacksonville, AR., one sister, Emma Jean Hardy, 96, of Chicago, IL. (20) Grandchildren: Lindsey (Nicola) Golliday, Stefawn Golliday, Tamekia (Emanual) Jackson, Martell Ray, Serenthia (Eric) Campbell, Shelby Ford, Michelle Ford, Maurice Ford, Troy Van Ray, Thalisa Ray, Karell Thompson-Ray, Amos Ray, Kyra Ray, Kellie Miller, Sonya Horn, Timothy Johnson, Marvenious Sharp, Amos (Bernice) Ray III, Tiffany Fisher, and Donna Tyler, (54) great-grandchildren, (34) great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, family, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents James and Jesse, her second love Homer, sons Troy Vee and Amos Jr., brothers: Buford, Burnett, James, Earl, Leo, Timothy and sisters Juanita and Cleo.