Reverend Mother Shirley Tate was born February 8, 1938 to the union of the late James and Mary Pearl Thomas. As the 6 child of 12 children, Mother Tate spent her formative years in Putnam, Alabama where she would work picking cotton for a menial wage.  Later, she would move to Mobile, Alabama with her parents. An inquisitive child, Mother would oftentimes slip off from her family to attend tent revivals at the sanctified church. She enjoyed watching the Saints rejoice in the Spirit, the way they dressed, and the way they lived.  She immediately decided that she wanted to be just like them.

Mother Tate was faithful to her lifestyle of holiness and came under the tutelage of Mother Carrie Skinner. Soon after, she received the gift of the Holy Ghost at the age of twelve. Mother Skinner would cultivate her new life in Christ by teaching her how to live holy, walk holy, talk holy, and even dress holy.  Mother Skinner's husband, Elder Henry Skinner, pastored a church in Mobile and Frisco City, Alabama.

There was a young man in Frisco City who was also a member of Elder Skinner's church.  Mother Skinner informed this very same young man that "there's a gal down there in Mobile that I want you to meet." In August 1956, Mother Tate married Brother Jonathan Tate.  To this union, seven children were born.

Early on, Brother and Sister Tate would become known for their praising and dancing before the Lord.  People would come from miles and miles just to see them dance in the Spirit.  Mother Tate became a hard-working, praying woman who believed God for everything.  She would prove to be a devoted wife, even when her husband was called into the ministry and sent to Gulfport, MS to pastor.  She would be deemed a "Proverbs 31" woman because of her extreme love and care for her children.  She covered her children, grandchildren and great grands with prayer.  She loved hard even in chastisement.  She desired that all seven of her children be saved.  God did just that!

Mother Tate supported her husband as he developed in the ranks of Elder, Overseer, and then Bishop.  She stood by the Bishop in building God a Temple for His people.  She led the charge in building the faith of only sixty members to pay off The Anointed Temple in just five years. For 59 years, Mother Tate stood by her husband in building up the Kingdom of God. She would travel all over the country with her husband, preaching and teaching the way of holiness.  She took pride in bringing people to Christ and informing any stranger that HOLINESS WAS RIGHT! Whether you lived in the White House or no house, Mother made sure you knew that you needed to be saved! Mother Malinda Roby once told her, "Mother Tate, you can't save the whole world."

Over the years, God would use Mother Tate in an impeccable way.  Many would come forward and declare that they were healed by God of diseases(both physical and mental) after Mother prayed for them.  Married couples who were unable to have children began to bring forth children soon after Mother prayed.  God revealed to her many things and she foretold what things would come.  Just as she prophesied it, it came to pass.  She was never afraid to confront the devil with prayer.  Many were filled with the Holy Ghost under her teachings and countless hours of laboring around the altar with those who tarried.

Mother Tate loved people!  With such an infectious smile, she met no stranger. Mother was a classy woman, well put together, and believed in being confident and consistent in who she was.  She was the same Mother Tate, no matter the environment. She spent a lifetime preparing for this moment….."packing up, getting ready to go."

Mother Shirley Tate, a true woman of God and a jewel in the Lord's Church penned the final chapter of a glorious life, and peacefully transitioned into the arms of the Almighty God, surrounded by those who loved her most on Saturday, June 11, 2022.  She is preceded in death by her daughter, Diana Tate.  She leaves to cherish her memory, her devoted husband of 66 years, the Honorable Bishop Dr. Jonathan Tate, Sr.; three daughters, Louise(Clabert) Guillory, Shelia(Overseer Bennie) Middleton, Mary(Johnny) Griffith all of Gulfport, MS; 3 sons; Elder Jonathan(Cathy) Tate, Minister Rickey(Natasha) Tate, both of Gulfport, MS and Pastor George(Linda) Tate of Atlanta, GA; a loving and devoted nephew/son, Phillip(Brenda) Love of Chicago, IL;  a special and loyal daughter, Kay Taylor of Mobile, AL; 17 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Hubert Thomas and Jessie Thomas of Mobile AL; one sister-in-law, Elsie Marshall of Baltimore, MD; one brother-in-law, Joel(Daisy) Tate of San Francisco, CA; two very close and devoted friends, Evangelist Joyce Smiley Duncan of Indianapolis, Indiana and Sister Dorothy Roby of Birmingham, AL; a host of nieces and nephews; numerous honorary children and grandchildren; The Anointed Temple A.O.H. Church of God members and the entire Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God, Inc.