Trudie Frances (Ballard) Tate

Trudie Ballard Tate, 89, of Lorena, passed away Wednesday April 15, 2020 in Waco.  Trudie was born November 22, 1930 to Gladys (Jones) and Sylvester Ballard of Prairie Hill. She married Prairie Hill High School sweetheart Dale Johnson in 1947, and they moved to Waco.  Trudie and Dale found their small dream-ranch outside Lorena where they worked to guide and support the local schools.  Good with numbers, she was working in the ALICO building during the 1953 tornado. She later retired from Owens-Illinois after decades of service handling accounts.  When she was widowed in 1972, Trudie had to juggle the roles of breadwinner and Mom.  Trudie married Bob Tate in 1975 and they shared a life full of travel, friends, and community projects.  After Bob's passing in 2015, Trudie moved to Stoney Brook Assisted Living. Trudie brightened the lives of many and found joy in traveling the world with close friends and spending time with her young granddaughters.  She was kind to everyone and will be missed by many. Trudie was a long-time member of Crestview Church of Christ.

Trudie Tate is survived by her sister Vauda, by her son Jeff Johnson and his wife Kathleen, by her son Lee Tate, and by daughters-in-law Catherine (Friedel) Johnson and Melissa (Green) Johnson.  Another beloved son, Greg Johnson, preceded her in death, as did her sister JoAnn and brother Bill.  She is also survived by grandchildren Frances Anne Johnson, Virginia Johnson, Jordan Williams, Elizabeth Johnson and Abigail Johnson.

There will be a private family burial at Waco Memorial Park.