Mildred Porter Pate

Mildred Porter Pate, of Cove, Arkansas passed away December 13, 2019, at her home in Cove surrounded by friends and family. Mildred was born Monday, September 25, 1922 in Langley, Arkansas to Arthur Albert Porter and Anna Hill Porter.

She attended Langley School and excelled in Basketball. She had a sister Esperence and a brother Henry Porter. She married Dellas Venton Pate April 26, 1943 in Athens, Arkansas and went to Wenatchee, Washington to pick fruit, and they bought their first car and drove back to Arkansas.  Mildred (Midge) made her home in Cove and worked with Dellas as Logging Contractor. On November 15, 1946 they had a daughter, Judy. They donated land to Uncle Bill Pate to build Cove Revival Center in 1954. She was a charter member of Revival Center and donated additional land for expansion and parking. Many of the children at church called her Granny Midge, and her chicken n dumplings and coconut pies were famous. She loved life and working outside. Many adventures were experienced while they worked timber in Colorado and picked fruit in Washington. The logging crews in Arkansas and Colorado became like family, and she loved all of them. After retirement they enjoyed fishing on a pontoon boat, and also RV traveling across American with beloved friends Ray and Norma Davis. She also loved riding on Helen’s Harley Davidson motorcycle and attending Christian Motorcyclists Association events. Branson was a favorite place she loved to visit, and she enjoyed traveling anywhere Helen would drive her. She was always ready for fun and adventure and never met a stranger. Midge’s life was an example of Christian love and service. She witnessed about Jesus love to everyone, and remembered getting saved and then baptized in the creek. She loved life and loved people! She could tell you a million stories.

Mildred was preceded in death by her husband, Dellas Pate, a daughter, Judy Pate Yates, a brother, Henry Porter and sister, Esperence Risner, and her parents, Arthur and Anna Porter.

Survivors are sisters-in-law, Modema Smedley and Sodola Griffith of Cove, and numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, wonderful caregivers, and special friends Kim Parks and Helen Buxton.

Funeral service will be held Sunday, December 15, 2019 at Cove Revival Center 299 Polk 288, Cove, Arkansas at 3:00 P.M. with Pastor Reggie Fryar and Pastor Larry Davis officiating.  Interment will be at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Cove under the direction of Bowser Family Funeral Home in Mena.  No Visitation is scheduled. Special Music will be provided by Amber Taylor and Dee Roberts.

Pallbearers will be Donald Burk, Dewayne Taylor, Pate Taylor, Josh Parks, Sherril Dickison and Andrew Dickison.  Honorary Pallbearers will be her nephews, Gene Porter, Donald Porter, Keith Risner, Ricky Griffith and Troy Dickison

In lieu of flowers, Midge requested memorial offerings be given to Pleasant Grove Cemetery Fund in C/O, Greg Ricks 160 East Barton, Cove, Arkansas 71937.

Online Guestbook: www.bowserffh.com

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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