E. Murray Tate Jr., longtime champion for Hickory, died Saturday. He was 83.
Tate is best known as an attorney for the city for 26 years. However, he also served as a judge, solicitor and attorney and was involved in several volunteer positions in the community.
"The evidence of the high level of service that he provided was that we named a road after him," said Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright, referencing Tate Boulevard. "That's something we don't do very often."
The thoroughfare was named after Tate in 1971, for his efforts on the N.C. Highway Commission to use state money to build the road.
"He didn't benefit from the efforts, the community did," said Forest Ferrell, a former judge and one of Tate's close friends. "The city saw enormous growth in size and services under him."
Tate specialized in real estate work, special-needs planning and corporate law. He was known to spend time with anyone who needed help.
Shirley Anthony worked in his office several years ago, and said he's the person who convinced her to become an attorney. They later went on to form the firm Anthony and Tate.
Tate had one of his sons, Steven, clerk in his office, as well as one of his grandchildren, Patricia, intern in his office. Both went on to become attorneys.
"He showed me how good a fulfilling career in law is," Steven Tate said. "The summer I clerked for him, I could tell how much people admired and respected him and, in turn, how hard he worked for them."
Steven said he learned when he got older that his father would come home from work and eat dinner with his family and spend time with his children. It was only after the kids were in bed that Tate would begin on the work he brought home with him.
"He demonstrated how you can be successful as a father and an attorney," Steven said. "I've tried to mimic him as I've gotten older. He always gave me advice, and was always right. He had a remarkable ability to analyze the situation."
Anthony said Tate was a mentor to her, too, who helped her with difficult legal situations as well as being her friend.
"I will miss his guidance as a mentor. He was able to straighten me out when I wasn't sure what to do," she said. "He was an example of what a true counselor and attorney should be. He was very strong in his convictions, and served as a role model for many."
As an attorney, Tate helped people who came to him. He devoted his time to ensuring his clients could trust and depend on him, and would receive the best outcome.
"He represented ordinary people who needed attention," Ferrell said. "He was relentless to assure that everyone received a fair trial. He was like a mighty oak."
Tate also enjoyed pro bono work. Steven said that was one of the things his father liked doing the most.
"He liked representing people who didn't have anything. He was an advocate for the disadvantaged and underprivileged, working with the legal aid group," Steven said. "That's the reason he got into law, to help people, and he never gave that up."
Tate practiced law four days a week at Anthony and Tate until early June. During his career, he was named to the N.C. General Practice Hall of Fame in 2006.
Tate helped Hickory grow by co-founding the Family Guidance Center, and served on the board of directors for Palliative CareCenter & Hospice of Catawba Valley and serving on the SALT Block Foundation.
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