Pate, Bud

Bud Pate

June 7, 1936 – August 4, 2016

Pastor Arnold “Bud” Pate went to be with his Savior on Thursday, August 4, 2016, at Johnson City Medical Center. A native of Yancey County, he was a son of the late Hobert and Leatha Edwards Pate. He retired from Boones Creek Baptist Church in July 2004, after serving there for over 27 years. Prior to this, he was at Unicoi Baptist Church until December 1976. While there, he also worked as the “Preaching Postman” in Johnson City. Pastor Pate served as a volunteer Chaplain at the Johnson City Medical Center for ten years. He loved his mission work in Jamaica and had a Royal Ambassador Chapter named in his honor, the only one in the West Indies, of the Church of Deliverance in Hopewell, Hanover Jamaica, West Indies. He served six months at Cherry Grove Baptist in Jonesborough, TN, described by him as “one of the most fruitful” of his ministry. Approximately thirty people were baptized and many joined as members. He was interim for Antioch Baptist Church for almost a year. After that, he was interim, then Associate Pastor for four and a half years at Mt. Zion Baptist in Jonesborough in until 2012. Bro. “Bud” answered the call to preach in January 1969.

He began a period of three years as a Marine recruiter in Wilson, NC. He was awarded the Marine recruiter of the year in 1965, from the sixth Marine Corps District. He worked with the bus ministry at Sinking Creek Baptist Church after his return from the Vietnam War.

On May 12, 1968, he lost his right arm in the Vietnam conflict and was a survivor of the Battle of the Khe Sanh Combat Base during the TET offensive of 1968. This was the longest battle of the Vietnam War.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of almost 62 years, Helen Jarrett Pate of the home; three children, Steve Pate (Pastor of Harmony Baptist Church) and his wife Traci, Dr. Elaine Pugh (a pediatrician in Johnson City) and her husband, Dr. Alan Pugh, and Cindy Harris (retired nurse) and her husband Larry; grandsons, Taylor Pugh, Spencer Pugh, Jordan Pate; granddaughters, Ashley Davenport, Kati Pate, Stacey Mayfield, and Stephanie Harris; and ten great-grandchildren.