McMinnville resident and Grundy County native Morton Willard Tate, 87, died Oct. 8 at Alive Hospice at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville after a brief illness.A retired nurseryman after 40 years with Mid South Nursery and an attender of the Baptist Church, he served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II, Korea and Vietnam.The son of the late Albert and Pearl King Tate, he was preceded in death by brothers, Jasper, Paul, Leslie, Roscoe and Edward Tate; and sisters, Lucinda Johnson, Iola Tate and Berton Walker.He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Frances Sanders Tate; children and spouses, Regina and Richard White, and Elaine Fults, all of McMinnville, Windell and Sherry Tate of Rock Island; grandchildren, Stephanie Tate of Florence, Ala., Bryan Tate of Knoxville, Tyler and Heather Fults, Jeffrey and Nicholas White, all of McMinnville; several nieces and nephews.Services will be held at 2 p.m. today at High’s Chapel with Phillip Dahl Barrett and Dennis Sons officiating. Burial will follow at Philadelphia Cemetery with military graveside rites administered by VFW Post 5064 and American Legion Post 173. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until time of service today at High’s.High Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.) Oct. 10, 2012