Michael David Pate, 42
April 25, 1983 – May 17, 2025
TUPELO – Michael David Pate died Saturday, May 17, 2025. He was 42 years old. Born April 25, 1983 in Cheyenne, Wyoming to Donald Pate and Jeanne Johnson Pate, Michael was a mischievous and adventurous child from birth, traits he never veered from. Michael grew up a happy child and was always a personality favorite all throughout his public education. When he was only 10, he was accepted as a model for the prestigious Ford agency in New York and was asked to consider modeling as his life career. He won many awards for his talent. Mikey, as he was known by many of his friends, graduated from Tupelo High School in 2001 where he was class favorite, the class “clown”, a superb athlete playing soccer and basketball and a real “ladies” man. He joined the Mississippi National Guard and served with the 155th Brigade Combat Team honorably discharging in 2007. Mikey worked many jobs in his working career including Window World, Kroger, and as a roofer with his Dad’s company, among others. He enjoyed outdoors, had a sterling personality and never met a stranger. He attended All Saints Episcopal Church with his parents for years. Even in his troubles and struggles, his family and many friends will miss a great character, family member and genuinely interesting man to be around.
A celebration of life service will take place at 6 PM on Thursday, May 22, 2025 in the Sadie M. Holland Memorial Chapel at Holland Funeral Directors in Tupelo with Fr. Phillip Parker officiating. Visitation will be from 5 PM to service time. Burial will be private. For those unable to attend, the service will be livestreamed at 6 PM at hollandfuneraldirectors.com/live-streaming and archived afterward.
Michael is survived by his parents, Donald “Don” and Jeanne Pate; siblings Mary Lynn Hood and Leslie Ann Pate-Cox; aunts and uncles, Richard Pate (Beth), Ann Griffin (Garry), Linda Douglas, Mary Hester, and Chauncey Johnson; cousins, Joe Griffin, Christopher Griffin, Natalie Grandin, Michelle Whitenton (Thomas), Kelly Deakle (Greg), Ricky Pate (Wendy), Kim Douglas Sistrunk (David) with Indiana and Miner, Ricky Nelms (Sara) with Landon Nelms, Samantha Hester, Jessica Hood with Melinda Hood, Cameron Perkins, Abby Smalley, Shelby Cox, Cody Cox, and William Cox; and other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Hazel and Leonard Pate, and Mary Jane and Chauncey J. Johnson.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that letters be sent with expressions of what Michael’s life meant to the them at hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Obits. Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo is honored to be serving their friends.
Please follow the funeral home link above for further information, or to send online condolences or memorial gifts.
