By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Tate

GREEN TWP. - Thomas F. Tate Jr., the first band director and music teacher at Oak Hills High School, died Saturday at Deaconess Hospital in Clifton following a long illness.

The Green Township resident was 75.

Mr. Tate started the Oak Hills marching band as well as the Oakettes drill team, the Majorettes and the "Best of Oak Hills" variety show.

For 22 years, he led his bands in the Cheviot Harvest Home Parade as well as in performances at Bengals and Browns games, Reds Opening Day games and Kings Island.

His "legacy is the thousands of students that displayed their love of music on the field, stage and concert," said his daughter Sandy Sandlin of Green Township.

Mr. Tate was inducted in the Oak Hills Hall of Honor in 1996.

A native of Massillon, he enlisted in the Army right after he graduated from high school in 1946. He played trombone with the Army band in Austria and Germany.

After his hitch, he received a bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a master's in education from Miami University.

He taught in Northern Ohio and at Terrace Park High School before taking the job at Oak Hills in 1957.

After he left Oak Hills, he taught vocal and instrumental music at Ludlow High for nine years. He then conducted an after-school instrumental program at Our Lady of Visitation School in Green Township until 1999.

In addition to his daughter Sandy, survivors include his wife of 52 years, Marylyn Borgmann Tate; another daughter, Kathy Carmean; a son, Timothy Tate of Florence; and seven grandchildren.

The funeral has been held. Burial was at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Memorials: Thomas Tate Music Scholarship Fund, c/o Robert Carmean, 5621 Monica Drive, Fairfield, OH 45014.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com