Richard E. “Tate” King, 90
March 30, 1926 to June 29, 2016
Richard E. King (Tate), twelfth generation East Ender, died peacefully on June 29 at his home on North Sea Farm in Southampton, New York. At the time of his death he was surrounded by the love of his children and caregiver Julie. Tate was 90 years old.
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Tate was born on March 30, 1926 in Southampton, New York to Stanley and Julia Powers King. Tate spent his childhood growing up in Amagansett before moving to the Dimon Farm on Flying Point Road in Southampton in 1931.
Tate attended Southampton Public Schools, graduating with the class of 1944. He was an all-around athlete, but his main passion was baseball. His friends commented that he had the talent to be a top champion, but he couldn't get over the height of five feet two inches.
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He also enjoyed acting, playing the lead role in the high school play “Behind the Eight Ball.” He said he was playing a wild child. he didn't even have to act. He also acted in several plays at the First Presbyterian Church.
Eleven days out of high school, Tate was drafted into World War II and assigned to the First Cavalry in the Philippines and spent time in northern Japan at the end of the war. He was discharged in 1949 with the rank of Chief of Staff. At the end of the war, Tate returned to Southampton and worked with his father and brothers on North Sea Farm, which Stanley's father bought in 1945. He ran the farm after his father's death in 1957.
After the war, Tate and the high school players got back together and played on the championship softball team “The Anchors”.
During this time in his life, he met the love of his life, Millie, who was a nursing student at Southampton Nursing School. In 1952 they married and settled at home at North Sea Farm in Southampton, New York. They raised their four children Richard, Karin, Kevin and Kathleen in the same house.
During his children's formative years, Tate worked on the dairy farm while his wife Millie worked as a private duty nurse. He was one of the first “stay at home” dads who worked all day on the farm and watched his kids play — or so he called it.
The farm also had 5,000 chickens at the time, and Tate delivered fresh eggs to residential and commercial customers for many years.
Tate was active in the Southampton community serving as a firefighter in the North Sea for 56 years. During his tenure with the fire department he served as treasurer, a member of the Board of Directors and served as Fire Commissioner for two terms.
In addition, he was the director of athletic fields, where he established the baseball fields on the North Sea community property. However, his proudest achievement was as Chairman of the North Sea Fire Department Scholarship Fund, an award given to a high school graduate of the fire district each year.
His family has many fond memories of his years as a firefighter where many lifelong friendships were formed.
Tate was also active in First Presbyterian Church where he was an ordained minister and a member of the Board of Trustees.
Tate was also very active in the Girl Scout community. He became Chairman of Troop 11 Committee in Southampton in 1959, a post he held for over 25 years. Boy Scouts and Boy Scouts enjoyed camping on his farm for many years. He was awarded several District Scouter awards and also received one of the highest Scout service awards, the “Silver Beaver” in 1976.
Tate was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He participated in many community outreach programs, always offering meals and assistance to the less fortunate. Tate has always credited the Reverend John Felmeth as one of the most important inspirational people in his life. Rev. Felmeth's first wedding at First Presbyterian Church was Tate and Millie's in 1952.
Tate loved this country above all else and was always looking out for the needs of others. With his bright eyes and wonderful smile he was always available for wise counsel. Tate helped many people solve their problems just by listening, at his stall during his retirement years or carrying buckets of milk during his crops. In addition to being a wonderful father to his children, he was a surrogate dad, mentor and friend to the hundreds of young people who worked on his farm over the past decades. He loved a good joke and kept his spirit to the end of his life.
He loved his family the most, always proud of their accomplishments, no matter how big or small. He always commented that he was the richest man in Southampton because the love of his family could not be bought. There was never a stranger in the King House.
Tate often said the two most important moments in his life came in 1951, the year he met his wife Millie, and the “Shot Heard Around the World” when Bobby Thompson hit the game-winning homer to win the pennant of the National League for the New. York Giants. Oh yes, not to forget the invention of ice cream, his favorite food group.
Tate was preceded in death by his parents, the love of his life, Millie, and his three brothers Stanley (Sam), Truman and Calvin.
Tate is survived by his sons Richard and wife Robin of Southampton, Kevin and wife Claudette of Yorktown, Virginia and daughters Karin Driscoll and husband Paul of Bloomfield, New York and Kathleen and husband Zvi Friedman of Water Mill, New York.
Tate is also survived by eight grandchildren, Christina Foucher and her husband Mike of Rochester, New York, Brad King and his wife Nancy Sim of New York, Julia King of Greenport, New York, Nate Driscoll and his fiancee Kay Cotton and Kara Miller and her husband John of Victor, NY, Clark King of Richmond, VA, Kyle King of Charlottesville, VA, Justin Friedman of New York, NY, one great-grandchild, Harper Tate Miller, sister-in-law Margie King of Dalton, PA, Nieces Caroline Tighe of West Haven, CT, Robin Hawthorne of Dalton, PA, Peggy Fezza of Water Mill, NY, nephews Tom King of Rockville Center, NY, Tim King of Audobon, PA, Sean King of Water Mill, NY, Tate King of Scranton, PA, sisters-in-law Cordelia Keegan of Stratford, CT, and Marge King of Dalton, PA along with their families and many close friends.
In lieu of flowers, Tate supported the following charities:
North Sea Fire Department Scholarship Fund: 149 Noyac Road, Southampton, NY 11968
Boy Scouts of America: PO Box 722 Southampton, NY, 11969
The Food Pantry: Human Resources of the Hamptons, 168 Hill Street Southampton, NY 11968
First Presbyterian Church: 2 South Main Street, Southampton, NY 11968
Peconic Land Trust: PO Box 1776 Southampton, NY 11969
Brockett Funeral Home (www.brockettfuneralhome.com) is coordinating arrangements.
Visitation is scheduled at the funeral home on Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with the funeral service Thursday at First Presbyterian Church in Southampton at 10 a.m.
The family invites all to attend a celebration reception following the service at the North Sea Fire House at 149 Noyac Road, Southampton, NY.
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