Anna Bilstad Tate

Anna Bilstad Tate September 9, 1917--March 20, 2011

Anna was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, James W. Tate Sr.; survived by her daughter Mary E. Tate of San Antonio; and her son James W. Tate Jr. and his wife Francesca N. Tate of Brooklyn, NY. Anna was born in Brooklyn, NY. While she was still a child, the family moved to the small town of St. Remy, in Ulster County, New York. Here, in a one-room school house, she met two other students Irma (Twele) Smith and Mary Isabel (Frost) Reynolds. The three were life-long friends. Upon the death of her father, Gabriel Bilstad, Anna and her mother returned to Brooklyn. Anna graduated from Bay Ridge High School. She then entered Long Island College Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1939. A classmate introduced her to James W. Tate, and they were married in St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Utrecht in Brooklyn, on June 29, 1941. After the birth of her two children she resumed her nursing career. She worked first at the Infants Home of Brooklyn as assistant head nurse, and then as head nurse; next at the Margaret Sanger Research Bureau, Manhattan, as head nurse of research; and finally at Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn as head nurse in the out-patient department, running clinics as diverse as well-baby to arthritis. After retirement she and her husband moved to San Antonio, for the health benefits of warmer weather. In San Antonio she was active in OASIS, especially in its Person to Person program. She was active in church both here and in Brooklyn. Her other activities included Red Hat Classy Chicks, and Norwegian Heritage Club. The Tate family extends special thanks to the staff at Grace Place, Hamilton House, and Alamo Hospice for all their supportive care. Visitation will be at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home on Bandera Road on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. A funeral service will be conducted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 2:00 P.M. at Zion Lutheran Church with interment to follow at Zion Lutheran cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Christian Senior Service for Grace Place, 4306 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78229; San Antonio OASIS, 6161 NW 410, San Antonio, TX, 78238