Carol Lee Tate

Carol was a slow-paced girl who lived a fast-paced life for a while. She was born Carol Lee Weixler on Jan 4, 1944 in Jacksonville, Fla., where her father was stationed at the nearby Naval base. She grew up in suburban Philadelphia and in St. Louis. She chose Southeast Missouri State over University of Missouri out of high school because she liked the town better. She always paid attention to details.

After college, Carol’s parents moved to Louisville, Ky., and Carol followed along. She got a job as a librarian at the University of Louisville, where she met her bookworm husband of 44 years, Emmett Tate. They married in 1968 and spent the next 20 years bouncing around the country as a Navy family — from Louisville to San Diego to Washington then back to San Diego and then on to Tulsa, Okla.

Along the way, Carol gave birth to two children: A zany boy named Jay in 1972 and a pensive girl named Kimberlee in 1978. Carol was an engaged mother whose level-headedness and introspective nature gave her mischievous children room to grow freely.

In her later years, Carol returned to Louisville and reconnected with her best friend Cheryl Redmon. The two had a standing lunch date every Friday at their favorite eatery, Kayrouz Cafe. Carol didn’t make friends easily, but she was quite loyal to the friends she had and she always welcomed folks with a smile.

Carol moved to Montgomery in 2018 and lived in both Hampstead and New Park. She loved dining out and frequently mentioned how pleasantly surprised she was by the town’s restaurant scene. Her favorite spots were Sommer’s Cafe and Charles Anthony’s Restaurant.

Carol spent her final months at The Crossings at Eastchase, where she richly enjoyed standing lunch and dinner dates with new friends.

She is survived by her son, Jay Tate (Courtney), and her granddaughter, Maddie Tate.

Carol will be interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Louisville, Ky., alongside her daughter, her brother and her parents.