Olen C. Pate, 88, Elizabethton, went to be with his Lord and Savior on March 17, 2020.  A native of Carter County, he was the son of the late Earl & Nervie Stevens Pate.

He was preceded in death by three sisters: Bertha Davis of Unicoi, Dorotha Birchfield and Estelle Culler of Elizabethton.  He is survived by his stepson, Keith Whitson of Erwin, a special cousin, Dayton Pate of Elizabethton, four nieces, Shelby Gage, Alma Shell, Sharon Dixon and Sonja Culler: and three nephews: Roger Birchfield, Earl Birchfield and Randy Culler.

Several great and great-great nieces and nephews also survive.  He left behind special friends of his Roan Mountain Family, Beecher, Jackie, Taylor and Hannah Hart.  Other surviving special friends include Rosella Richardson, Jo Ann Greenwell, Chris Hooks, Roger Snodgrass, Ted Rice and Jimmy Coffey.

Olen gave his heart to the Lord in the Summer of 1949 and was baptized by the late Orville Richards.  He was a member of Zion Baptist Church but attended the Oak Grove Christian Church where he found a church family filled with love, kindness and humility.

He was a well known educator.  His interest was in the arts, history and horticulture. He has held several offices and positions in the county where he has served as Magistrate in the Old County Court, A County Commissioners, Superintendent of Schools, and on the Board of Commissioners of the South Elizabethton Utility District for the past thirty-some years.

A Private Graveside Service for Olen will be conducted by his Pastor Ted Thomas.  He is to be buried on his Great-Grandfather’s farm in Limestone Cove in Unicoi County in the William Garland Cemetery.  Active Pallbearers will be Beecher Hart, Chris Hooks, Andrew Fletcher, Roger Snodgrass, Keith Whitson, Mark Gage and Dayton Pate.  Honorary Pallbearers will be employees of the South Utility, Junior Reedy, Jackie Hart, Jo Ann Greenwell, Conley Street, Joe Fred Thomas, Tom Jones, Russ Lunceford, Travis Brumit, Louis Cardamone, Scott Smithers, Edward A. Culler, Jon Buck, Jim Coffey and Cliff Ballard. The family would like to express a special “Thank You” to the Staff of ICU and 4th floor of Indian Path Hospital for the excellent care they gave to Olen. In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made in memory of Olen to the Elizabethton-Carter County Animal Shelter,253 Sycamore Shoals Drive, Elizabethton, Tenn. 37643,

The American Cancer Society, 871 N. Weisgarber Road, Knoxville, Tn. 37909 Attn: Stacy Hall or The Sheppard’s Inn, PO Box 2214, Elizabethton, Tn. 37644.  Condolences may be sent to the family at our website www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.

He spent many happy days of his youth on this farm with his Grandparents, Brownlow and Emaline Stevens.  His grandparents always reserved him “his” attic room which overlooked the orchard where the whippoorwills gathered to serenade the rising moon.

Friends may register their presence at the funeral home on Thursday 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. There will not be a visitation with the family.

Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Pate family.