Emma Frances Pate

EMMA FRANCES PATE

Emma Frances Pate, 89, died Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law in Knoxville. 

She was born September 10, 1932 to Alonzo William Goins and Lucy Cureton Goins in Morristown. In 1948 Emma Frances married Joseph W. Cox Jr., and had two children from that marriage, Joseph A. Cox and Rebecca Cox Wilker. They were married for 14 years. In 1976, she married Kenneth Pate.

In 1960-1961 Emma Frances was one of 20 women of color who made history in Hamblen County when they became licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Up to that time, women of color were not permitted to be educated as nurses. She began her nursing career at Morristown-Hamblen Hospital and worked 17 years at Hill Haven Nursing Home in Jefferson City, from where she retired. She loved being a nurse and in total worked for more than 30 years in that profession. She had a green thumb and loved working with her many plants both inside and outside.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Kenneth Pate; her son, Joseph “Pudgy” Cox; grandsons, Courtney Cotner and Norman Cox; her parents, Alonzo and Lucy Goins; her brothers, James E. Goins and Hubert W. Goins; and sister, Willie V. Goins Dailey.

She leaves to cherish her memory daughter, Rebecca “Becky” (Al) Wilker of Knoxville; stepdaughter, Vanessa Pate Cotner, stepson, Steve (Carolyn) Pate of Jefferson City; grandchildren, Pamela Wilker Baidoo of Pensacola Florida, Tasha Wilker-Lee, James “Buddy” (Robin) Wilker, Aaron Houseal and Tina Bondaug of Knoxville, Marc (Beth) Cox of Morristown, Claudette (Michael) Ashley of Bulls Gap, and Britney Cotner of Augusta, Georgia; great-grandchildren, Dillon (Erin) Wilker of Shelby North Carolina, Rebecca Wilker, Emilia Zelaya, twins Keeley and Nicholas Wilker of Knoxville, Tiffany Cox and Cameron Cox of Morristown, Amber Cox of Houston, Texas, Alonzo Cox and Joseph Cox of San Diego, California, Letisha Brown, Charlotte, North Carolina, Chelsey (Al) Cooper of Columbus, Ohio, and Makyah Setzer of Augusta, Georgia; nephews, Ronald Dailey of Douglasville Georgia, and Michael Dailey of Morristown; nieces, Lynnis Richmond and Mary (Mike) Williams of Morristown; cherished cousin and sister-in-law, Eugenia Carter; life-long friends, Juanita “Peggy” Clark and Barbara Pearson of Morristown; and several great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held 1 p.m., Saturday, November 6 at Jefferson Memorial Gardens, 812 E Broadway Blvd., Jefferson City.

Arrangements by: