Roy Tate passed away Monday, December 11th. He is survived by his wife, Jackie Reed Tate, his daughter, Wendy Tate Easmeil, his son and daughter in-law, Michael and Shannon Tate, their sons, Liam and Ryan, who Roy always referred to as his "brilliant grandchildren", his stepson, Todd Lackey, and his Miniature Schnauzer, Pepper. He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Nathlyn Tate, and his beloved Miniature Schnauzer, Saint Maggie.

Roy was born in Norfolk, Virginia and moved to Hampton during his teen years. He graduated from Newport News High School in 1957 and attended Virginia Tech, pursued automotive repair training, and served in the Naval Air Reserves, before his 35-year career at NASA; he retired in 1997 and "never looked back".

Roy enjoyed woodworking, working on cars, and history, but his greatest passion was sailing. He loved his boats, Sunrise and Aquarius and he participated in innumerable races, but was most proud of the 1999 season when he won the High Point trophy.

A celebration of Roy's life will be Friday, December 15th at 1 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Hampton; a reception will take place at the Hampton Yacht Club immediately following the service.