Cover photo for Mr. William Carey Pate's Obituary
Mr. William Carey Pate Profile Photo

Mr. William Carey Pate

August 1, 1928 — March 14, 2017

Mr. William Carey Pate

William Carey Pate, 88, died after a brief illness on March 14, 2017.  Born August 1, 1928 in Fayetteville, NC to Marion B. Pate, Sr and Ruth Townsend Pate, Carey was raised and lived in the Gray's Creek Community in Cumberland County.  

He served our country in the United States Army during the Korean War from 1950-1952.  After his military service, he returned to Gray's Creek where he farmed until retirement in the early 1990's.  He was recognized for his devotion to farming as he was the recepient of multiple local and state awards ultimately being elected to the Cumberland County Farm Hall of Fame in  2013.  

He also had an interest in aviation and was instrumental in the development of the Gray's Creek International Airport.  In retirement he enjoyed traveling with his wife and friends throughout the United States and Canada.  He also became an accomplished woodworker and was renowned for his Grandfather clocks.  He had a special fondness for Boxer dogs and raised a succession of them during his life.  

He especially enjoyed socializing with friends over coffee at a local diner almost every day.  In his later years he was afflicted with a severe neurological disease which limited his mobility, but he showed courage and resolve in the face of it and rarely allowed it to prevent him from enjoying his friends and family.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three siblings Marion B Pate, Jr, James Lloyd Pate and Edna Neal Bishop.  

He is survived by  his wife, Dean Reynolds Pate; three nephews, Marion B. Pate, III of Sanford, NC; Raymond G Pate of Kill Devil Hills, NC and James L Pate of Fairmont, NC.  

In lieu of flowers please send contributions to Lake Waccamaw Boys and Girls Club, Lake Waccamaw, NC

The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 19, 2017 from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. at Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Service.  Funeral services will follow at 2:30 p.m at Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Service Chapel.  

Burial will follow at Cape Fear Baptist Church Cemetery on Butler Nursery Road.

Online condolences may be sent to www.sullivanshighland.com

Services are entrusted to Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Service and Crematory, Inc., of Fayetteville, NC.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mr. William Carey Pate, please visit our flower store.

Past Services

Visitation

Sunday, March 19, 2017

1:30 - 2:30 pm (Eastern time)

Sullivan's Highland Funeral Service

610 Ramsey St, Fayetteville, NC 28301

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Guestbook

Visits: 7

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree