Bobby Lynn Pate, 79, of Texarkana, TX, passed away on May 15, 2023.
He was born on May 22, 1943, in Orange, TX, but the family soon moved back to their farm in Hope, AR.
Bobby graduated from Arkansas High School Texarkana, AR, in 1961. He continued his education at Texarkana College and then at Southern State University in Magnolia, AR. He served three years in the Air Force Reserves.
He owned and successfully ran the Fish Net Restaurant, Texarkana, AR., and was a consultant in building and staffing a fish restaurant in Rockwall, TX and also a fish restaurant in Moore, OK. He spent many years in the oil and gas industry working as a quality control inspector or as a safety advisor. Projects were located at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Weeks Island, LA, Memphis Large Cavitation Channel, Memphis, TN, Citgo Oil Project, Lake Charles, LA to Mt. Bellevue, TX, and other projects in Odessa, TX and Orange, TX.
Bobby loved life, loved people and would cross the street to speak to you. He never forgot a face and usually remembered the name. His hobbies included raising longhorn cattle, hunting, fishing, gardening and collecting keepsakes.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Elva Pate, his older brother, Vernon “Lindy” Pate and his father and mother-in-law, Willis and Edna Reed.
He is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Sandra Sampson Pate, his daughter, Tiffany Pate Cowgill and husband, Jeff Cowgill, one granddaughter, Sydney Cowgill, two grandsons, Spencer Cowgill and Silas Cowgill all of Texarkana, TX; one sister, Gail Hicks of Texarkana, TX and his brother, Tony Joe Pate & Barbara Goodson of Nashville, AR and many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Bobby was a family man. He loved taking his family hunting, fishing and frequently target shooting. His three grandchildren gave him many years of pleasure. He especially enjoyed going to their basketball games, baseball games and track meets.
A celebration of Bobby’s life will be at 11:00 AM Friday, May 19, 2023, at Chapelwood Funeral Home. The visitation will be for one hour prior to service on Friday.
Memorials may be made to Fellowship of Christian Athletes at my.fca.org/spencercowgill or to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 5523, Texarkana, TX 75505.
