Mrs. Pate was born October 3, 1927 in Franklin to the late Elisha Nadean Powell and Cora Lee Ragsdale Powell. Her outdoor activities included tending her flower garden and fishing for one of her favorite meals, catfish. She enjoyed cooking for her family, and one of specialties was her homemade banana pudding.

Survivors include: two daughters: Glenda Fay Arrington of Whitesburg and Ruby L. Walker of Carrollton; three sons: Virgil Mitchell of Greenville, AL; Daniel Mitchell of Easley, SC; and Ralph Mitchell of Fairburn, GA; a number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; five sisters: Jettie Mae Evans of Chicago, IL; Dorothy Swick of Franklin; Betty Sue Crawford of Opelika, AL; Nadean Ford of Newnan; and Mary Parrott of Pennsylvania; one brother, James Powell of LaGrange; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two husbands: Herman A. Mitchell and Floyd W. Pate; one son, James Odis Mitchell; two sisters: Nancy Nelms and Ruby Dean Powell; and three brothers: Junior Powell, Jack Powell, and Charlie Powell.