James Kraft Tate

Dr. James Kraft Tate, 92, of Fort Collins, Colorado, died July 22, 2010 at the Rehabilitation Nursing Center of the Rockies in Fort Collins, Colorado. The second child and only son of Joseph and Bertha Kraft Tate, he was born on October 13, 1917, in Wauneta, Nebraska. He and his older sister, Elsie spent most of their childhood years on the family's farm in Hayes County located in southwestern Nebraska. Graduating from Hayes County High School in 1934, he first attended Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, later transferring to Iowa State University in Iowa City where he graduated in 1940 with a degree in veterinary medicine. During WWII he served as a Lieutenant in the United States Army. Upon discharge he worked as a veterinarian in West Virginia and Nebraska before moving his practice to Gettysburg, South Dakota in 1948. On October 27, 1950, he married Marjorie Louise Markovetz. Prior to her death in 2008, the two of them spent the 57 years of their married life living in South Dakota, Minnesota, Texas, Montana, Nebraska, and Colorado where James was involved in various types of agri-business in addition to veterinary medicine. A life-long animal lover partial to dogs and horses, James was an avid baseball fan, Life-Master duplicate bridge player, backyard gardener, and non-stop reader. He and Marge were members of John XXIII. Survivors include sons, John Tate and wife, Younghee-Han, Scott Tate and wife, Cynthia; daughter, Diana Tate and husband, Robert Richter; three grandchildren, Sarah Richter, Caleb Richter-Tate, and Jason Tate-Han; and one great granddaughter. James was preceded in death by his parents, sister, wife, and son, Michael. Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Blessed John 23rd University Center, 1220 University Ave. Burial will be at 3:00 p.m. at Roselawn Cemetery, Fort Collins.