Donnie Jay Tate

July 5, 1961 – July 28, 2025

Donnie Jay Tate, 64, of Gid, Arkansas, passed away on July 28,2025.

Donnie was preceded in death by one sister: Kimberly Sue Tate and by his parents: Don & Gaye Tate

Donnie is survived by: His wife Karen Anita Tate, his brother Kevin Lee Tate & his wife Sheila, his 1st wife of 33 years Mitzi Denise Pierson, his 1st born son Braden Hunter Tate & his wife Tara, his 2nd born son Corey Simon Tate, his son Alton James Roberson, his 1st born grandson Jasper Dale Tate, his 2nd born grandson Kyler Don Tate, his nieces: Heather Alecia Budreviciene & Jasmine Nicole Hartgraves, along with a massive amount of step-children, step-grandkids, great nieces/nephews, extended family, and wonderful friends.

He was born in Batesville, Arkansas on July 5, 1961 to Donald Jewel Tate & Nola Gaye Tate of Gid, Arkansas. He was the first of 3 children born to Don & Gaye Tate. For the first several years of his life, Donnie and his family lived in Kansas City, Missouri, until after his two siblings Kimberly Sue Tate and Kevin Lee Tate were born and the family found themselves back in Gid, Arkansas. There Donnie attended and graduated from Mount Pleasant school district in 1979.

After graduating high school, Donnie joined the workforce where, true to himself, he wore many hats. He began his career working with Hershel Sewell to lay waterlines, until he later began his work at the Flooring Mill in Melbourne, AR. Donnie's main calling came from when, in 1998, along with his brother Kevin and father Don, started Triple T Logging. From that point on, he worked alongside his brother and friend Kevin to run a successful business for many years. Alongside Triple T Logging, Donnie also helped maintain the farm with his dad and brother throughout his lifetime.

Donnie's work ethic was only ever rivaled by one thing: his drive to hunt and fish. He could tell you the "who, what, when, and where" of any deer, turkey, bird, squirrel, or fish that was killed or caught within a 100 mile radius. He has trapped, fished, and hunted more times and in more places than a person can count. He spent much of his time taking as many kids as possible on youth hunt weekends, from his sons to family member's kids, to friends of the family. He was passionate about sharing his love of hunting with anyone who was interested, and he was never shy about sharing a meal with you so he could talk about hunting. (Just know you were gonna be eating dear meat later.) In the summers, if Donnie was not working in the hay field, he was on the river spending his time fishing and gathering amongst friends. Donnie spent many of his evenings retelling his stories and listening to other's stories with his friends at Wilson's Creek Sportsman's Club, of which he was a member. The Outdoors were and will forever be Donnie's passion, his sanctuary, and his way of life.

Donnie spent the last several years of his life, doing what he loved the most. Spending it outdoors, working, hunting, gardening, and maintaining his homestead with his wife Karen Tate and his FAVORITE kids: Beth & Rusty, the dogs. Donnie and Karen would spend their evenings working through their garden, finally settling down in the recliner to fall asleep before a Lonesome Dove movie could even start.

Donnie Tate is a difficult man to sum up in such a short form, but I think his motto to life can really help to understand who he is and was as a person. To paraphrase Donnie "…I lived my life on my terms. I did what I wanted, when I wanted, and how I wanted and, in my eyes, that's a pretty good life…"

Visitation and funeral services will be Friday, August 1st at Eddie's Family Funeral Home in Melbourne. Visitation will be held from 9-11am. Funeral service will begin at 11am with Jeff Eddy officiating. Burial will follow at Reeves Cemetery near Gid.