Kate Griffith Ledford Pate, age 97, passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 9, 2025 at the Mitchell House surrounded by loved ones. She was born in Mitchell County on April 28, 1928 to Henry Ward Beecher and Nellie Masters Griffith. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her sons, Gregory Ward Ledford, Randall Delane Ledford, her husbands, Buster B. Ledford and Eston L. Pate. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Eugene Griffith and Joyce Griffith Tipton, and beloved nieces Sondra Griffith Hensley, Sharon Griffith Tittle, and beloved grandson-in-law Robert Moyle.
Surviving is her daughter-in-law Wanda Gouge Ledford (Randall), granddaughters Jennifer Ledford Bentley (Rob) and Janet Ledford Moyle, 5 great-grandchildren Alexander, Sebastian, and Zachary Bentley and Katelyn and Brayden Moyle. Also surviving nephews Steve Tipton, Dwight Griffith, and her niece Leslee Griffith Reuning.
Kate is also survived by her two stepsons Phillip R. Pate (Brenda) and Steve Pate (Becky), 4 step-grandchildren, Sherry Pate Tipton (Dean), Luke Pate (Jerica), Brittany Pate McKinney (Jody), and Kristy Pate Brown (Anthony), and 12 step-great-grandchildren,
Kate attended Appalachian State Teachers College after graduating from Tipton Hill High School. She married Buster Ledford after he returned from WWII. They lived in Baltimore, Maryland in the early 1950s for several years before returning to live in the Tipton Hill community of Mitchell County in 1958. After Buster’s death in 1970, Kate worked in the Mitchell County School System for several years and then later as a Social Worker at the Mitchell County Department of Social Services. She married Eston Pate in 1978 and upon her retirement, she and Eston enjoyed traveling the United States on several Christian Bus tours, as well as traveling to the Florida beaches with their dear friends Scott and Gail Griffith.
Kate was a lifelong member of the Church of the Brethren but also attended Huntdale Union Church in Mitchell County in her later years.
Officiating will be Jeff Brewer, Minister of Brummetts Creek Church of the Brethren and Adam Davis, Chaplain at Hospice of the Blue Ridge.
Pallbearers:
Dwight Griffith
Steve Tipton
Rob Bentley
Roddy Pate
Steve Pate
Luke Pate
Honorary Pallbearers:
Jerry Griffith, Joe Griffith, Jody McKinney, Joseph Rannazzisi, and Kate’s great grandsons and step-great grandsons.
The funeral will be held on Sunday, October 12, 2025 at the Brummetts Creek Church of the Brethren, 6243 North Carolina Hwy 197 Green Mountain, NC.
The family will receive friends at 3:00 pm prior to the service at 4:00 pm.
Burial will be at Pleasant Grove Church of the Brethren cemetery at 1717 Harrell Hill Road, Bakersville, NC.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to:
American Cancer Society
NC Alzheimer’s Association
The family would like extended a ‘Special Thank You’ to Brittany Pitman and the Staff of Hospice and Palliative Care of the Blue Ridge for their tender and care of Kate over the past several years. The family would also like to ‘Thank’ the staff of Mitchell House for their loving care and concern for Kate over the past thirteen years.
Words of comfort may be e-mailed to the family by going to our website; www.webbfh.com, selecting Kate Pate’s name and then you may sign her guestbook. Webb Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements for Mrs. Pate and is honored to be serving the Ledford and Pate families. Mrs. Pate’s obituary has also been posted on Facebook for viewing.
