John Tate

John Tate with my sister, Jillian and my cousins (my mother took it)

Johnnie Lee Tate is my grandfather. Despite his rough childhood, he was able to get on with his life and raise three boys. He always tells me, my sister, Jillian, and my cousins, Carley and John, about his childhood – the good and the bad. He has exhibited perseverance, love, hope, and faith throughout his life.

Born in the small town of Marion, North Carolina in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, he grew up in a large family. His father sometimes drank heavily. Once, his dad and uncle got into a fight over money. His father threw his uncle out of the door. My grandfather never saw his uncle again. While his father was a sometimes difficult man to live with, his mother held the family together. She loved to read and encouraged her children to do so also.

My grandfather persevered and went to Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C. He paid for his tuition through the G.I. Bill from two years spent in the parachute troops during World War II. After college, my grandfather worked as a recreation director and a club manager for a few years before beginning a long career in sales. He worked for several different companies before founding his own company, Omni Supply, which he later sold before retiring. He says that he enjoyed sales because it helped him provide a comfortable living for his family. I think he also enjoyed it because he is a big talker and likes to meet new people.

In the fall of 1943, my grandfather met his wife, Dorothy Gray Long, at a pep rally in Hickory, N.C. She also worked hard to support the family. Today, they reside in Newton, North Carolina and have been married for over 50 years.

To me, my grandfather’s life is a good example of perseverance, love, and strength during adversity. He has risen above his early hardships by working hard and having a positive attitude. He loves and is loved by all who know him. I love my grandfather. He is a hero to me.