Bob and his twin brother Dick were born in Fairfax, Oklahoma on July 9, 1936 to Harry and Elizabeth Tate. Raised on a farm, they became active members of the local 4-H club. Bob was president of the Fairfax Club and the Osage County Club. He, his younger brother Harry, and cousin Tom represented the Oklahoma 4-H Club at the International Livestock Show in Chicago in 1953, where they placed third in the nation. Bob was president of his sophomore and senior class and Dick was valedictorian. Both attended Oklahoma State University starting in 1954, and after 2 years Bob enlisted in the Navy, serving 2 years active duty stationed at NAS Pensacola and Norfolk, and mustering out as a YN3. After his 6 years ETOS, he received his Honorable Discharge on January 1, 1964.

After his active duty Bob returned to OSU and received both a BS and MS degree. He later graduated from Chapman University with an MA in History. On December 24, 1961, he married Marilyn Crowder in the First Christian Church in Fairfax, Oklahoma. Marilyn transferred her 5 years of teaching experience to Lompoc, and Bob was accepted to teach Social Studies at Lompoc High School. The LHS on West College was brand new and Bob benefitted and enjoyed the students and faculty for the next 34 years. For the last two years, he was proud to be joined by his daughter, Rachel, who was also hired at LHS.

He was a long-standing member of the Lompoc First United Methodist Church, which he and Marilyn joined in 1963. The Lompoc Community Labor Coalition chose him "Citizen of the Year" in 1987. Bob was also an above average golfer at the Rancho Maria course and UCC where he recorded a hole-in-one in 1965.

He retired in 1996 and Marilyn retired a year later. After their retirement, they traveled around the US via 13 Elderhostel trips and took 5 Tauck Tours to the Canadian Rockies, Swiss Alps, Australia and New Zealand, and two of our National Parks.

Marilyn passed away at home on June 27, 2005, after a 5-month battle with inoperable brain cancer. After almost 20 years of retirement, Bob contracted pulmonary fibrosis and passed away January 13, 2016, peacefully at home with his family.

He was preceded in death by his twin brother and a daughter who died at birth in 1969. He is survived by his brother Harry Tate of Stillwater, Oklahoma, his brother-in-law John Crowder of Salisaw, Oklahoma, his daughter Rachel Mello (Jon) and son Ben Tate (Kathy), both of Lompoc, and his grandchildren Elizabeth and Timothy Mello, and Eme, Gigi, and Robert Tate.

Services will be held at First United Methodist Church, at 925 North F Street on Saturday, January 30 at 1:00. A viewing is planned at Starbuck-Lind Mortuary on Friday, January 29 from 4:00-7:00. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lompoc First United Methodist Church or the Lompoc High School Booster Club.