Emelia Ann "Millie" (Morton) Tate, age 78, passed away at 11:02 a.m. Thursday, April 3, 2025, at home in the care of her daughter and granddaughter in Lomax, IL. She was born June 22, 1946, in Hampton, IA, the daughter of Edward and Myrtle (Madsen) Morton. Earlier in life, she married Wendell Tate in Carthage, IL, and she loved and longed for him until the end.

If you knew Millie, you know that she was a force to be reckoned with. Life gave her hell, and she returned it tenfold. She didn't set a lot of great examples, but one amazing example she did set was to kiss no ass and take no shit. She was the blueprint of several generations of hard women. We lost a matriarch, but she left behind many resilient and unyielding women and girls.

Millie graduated from C.A.L. Community in 1964. She was a nurse's aide at Mahaska County Hospital in Oskaloosa, IA, and a nurse's aide in LaHarpe, IL. She also provided in-home care and worked for Helping Hand Cleaning Service. Millie also donated her time to helping the local food pantry for many years.

In her later years, she wrote down all family and good friends' birthdays and always made sure to send birthday wishes to everyone. A select few special people would even receive phone calls where she would sing "Happy Birthday" to them.She loved to crochet, and she was very good at it. A lot of her time was spent crocheting hats to donate to the homeless so they could be a little warmer. She was a hoarder—if you gave it to her, then chances are she most likely kept it until her last breath.

She loved to read, and that's an understatement. She had multiple bookcases, deep-shelved, filled with books. If you ever saw her, there'd surely be a book nearby. She also loved to watch Mike the Scavenger on YouTube.

Again, if you knew Millie, then you know what kind of mischief she got up to in her early years—and her less early years. She wasn't perfect. She didn't always make the right choices. She didn't always have her priorities straight. But down the road, she committed a large chunk of her life to learning and growing. She never did learn to shut up, but she did learn to listen. If you needed her, she was there, and she was there with wide-open, loving arms. But if you wanted her opinion on something and her response started off with, "Now, I don't mean this the wrong way..." (you can hear her voice in your head, can't you?), you were smart to just stiffen up that upper lip because you were about to hear some brutal truths in the sweetest little tone. She might as well have coined the term "the truth hurts." But she would support you either way, without judgment. And though she didn't set great examples, she did learn many lessons and gained wisdom to pass down to younger and new generations.

Eventually, her eventful life caught up with her. She was fighting a slew of medical conditions, and for the longest time, when they pushed—and pushed they did—she would best them… up until she couldn't. She never gave up, though; we all know how stubborn she was. But the body is a fickle thing. It grows weak and shuts down, but that vibrant, feisty, and ornery soul, as all souls do, will soar forever.

Millie is survived by her daughter and son, Loretta (Tate) Pence and Dallas Tate. She is also survived by her five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, as well as her fur great-grandchild, Holly Noelle Pence. She is also survived by one sister, Dixie (Morton) Jurgens of Marion, IA.

She was preceded in death by the love of her life, Wendell Tate; her parents, Edward and Myrtle (Madsen) Morton; two sisters, Peggy (Morton) Goldberg and Marlene (Morton) Wheeler; and three brothers, Mort Morton, Dallas Morton, and Sanford Morton. Also preceding her in death are her three fur children, Copper, Blue, and Harley.

Millie will be missed immensely—her love and thoughtfulness of others, the long heart-to-hearts, her brutal honesty when needed, her generosity, and her willingness to go above and beyond, always. We remember her humor, her unconditional love, her bravery, and her unrelenting strength.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anointest my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever."

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to your local homeless shelter.