Joseph Arnold Tate

On Wednesday, October 4, 1960, a third child was born to Leroy Carl Tate, Sr. and Mary Magdalene Henry Tate. That child was named Joseph Arnold Tate, affectionately called Arnold.

Arnold grew up in the slow, easy-going region of Westmoreland County, Virginia; more specifically, Oldhams. He received Jesus Christ at an early age and was a member of Jerusalem Baptist Church. As a young boy, Arnold regularly played recreational sports with his siblings, cousins, and neighborhood friends and various table games with the family on weekends.  He engaged in activities like farming for his grandfather, Joshua Henry, gardening for the family, and picking tomatoes for pay during the summer. He was never very fond of these pastimes and looked forward to a different sort of life.

Arnold was educated in the Westmoreland County school system, graduating from Washington and Lee in 1979. This, too, was not a favorite pastime but one which he was proud to complete.

Arnold later moved to the Washington Metropolitan area to work.  It was here he continued his personal growth and began to be known as “Joe”.  He had various employment opportunities, ending with the U.S. Courts of Washington, D.C.

In 1993, Arnold welcomed into the world his only child, Joseph Arnold Tate, Jr. (J.R.), with the beautiful, late Jacqueline Yvonne Byrd. Arnold and Jackie were proud parents and loved their son, J.R., though Jackie was gone too soon.

Whether you knew him as Arnold or Joe, our loved one was a friend to many.  In recent days he has been described as loving, considerate, kind, and good-hearted – never dull. This was Arnold.  He loved car racing (local and Nascar), having friends over, Los Angeles Lakers, North Carolina Tar Heels, but most of all, he was an avid, die-hard Dallas Cowboy fan!

Joseph Arnold Tate, Sr. leaves to cherish his memory his parents, Leroy Carl Tate, Sr., Mary M. Henry (James Henry), his son, Joseph Arnold Tate, Jr (Alexus Tate), and three grandchildren, Janiya Love Rauch, Joseph Arnold Tate, III, and Jurnee Amaya Tate. He also leaves to relish his memory 8 siblings, 2 brothers-in-law, 1 sister-in-law, uncles and aunts, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Special long-time friends include Richard Carey, Michael Graham, John Glover, and Ricky Jordan.

Funeral service for Joseph Arnold Tate will be held on Friday, January 7, 2022 at 12 Noon in the sanctuary of the Jerusalem Baptist Church, 2404 Nomini Hall Road, Hague, Virginia.

Remains may be viewed from 10AM until service time on Friday, January 7 at Jerusalem Baptist Church.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joseph Arnold Tate, please visit our floral store.