BAILUS M TATE, JR.

Bailus Melvin Tate, Jr., 73, was born on July 15, 1946, in Leavenworth, KS to Bailus Melvin Tate, Sr. of Plattsburg, MO and Velma Marie Twyman of Salisbury, MO. He was the third child and oldest son of five children. He was preceded in death by Bailus M, Tate, Sr., father; Charles A. Terry, stepfather; and Harry R. Tate, brother. 

Bailus was joined in matrimony on August 16, 1969 to Deborah Gail Smith. They were married for 50 years. From their union, two children, Shalanda and Brandon, were born.

Until the age of 8 and as the result of his father’s Army career, Bailus lived in several places including Fort Leavenworth, KS, Geissen Army Depot, Geissen, Germany (closed in 2008), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Fort Carson, Colorado. After the death of his father, the family moved to the Kansas City area where Bailus began to build his legacy. He started his education at D.A. Holmes Elementary School and graduated from Central High School in 1964. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving 3 years on the USS Northampton and was honorably discharged in 1968. He returned to Kansas City and began his career at Kansas City Power and Light. Literally starting at the bottom, shoveling coal, he began his climb up the ladder to a successful career that ended at the top, when he retired after 33 years of service with the title of Vice President of Human Resources. During his climb, he continued his education at Park College, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and finishing with a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from Central Michigan University with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Throughout the years, he has been involved in numerous organizations and has served on the following boards in different capacities. KCMO Board of Police Commissioners 1987-1995 (Board President), Metropolitan K.C. Crime Commission (Board President), 2nd Chance Organization (Board President), K.C. Port Authority (Board President), Genesis School (Board President), Local Investment Commission (LINC Board Co-Chairman), K.C. Police Pension Board (Treasurer), Missouri Family and Community Trust Board (Board Member), Surviving Spouse and Family Endowment Fund (SAFE Board Vice-President), K.C. Alumni of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Board Member), Black Repertory Theater of K.C. (Board Member) and Black Economic Union of K.C. (President/CEO).

The things Bailus enjoyed doing in his younger years translated into the things he most enjoyed in his older years. Such as, ABC’s to crossword puzzles and reading, movies to theater, rock and roll records to live jazz, playing outdoors to traveling and his ability to create the newest and best martinis you ever had the pleasure of tasting.

Bailus accepted Christ at an early age joining with Bethel AME Church and later converting and remaining a member of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church for the last 50 years.

Bailus leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Deborah Tate; daughter, Shalanda Stanley (Jonathan), son, Brandon Tate (Jarita); mother, Velma Terry; sisters, Shelia Nix and Carolyn Eggleston of Kansas City, MO, and Vivian Tate of San Antonio, TX; 3 grandchildren, Brittney Stanley, Jonathan Stanley, Jr. and Tara Stewart; a host of nephews and nieces and other loving relatives and friends. He was bigger than life and leaves a huge void in the family. He will be eternally loved and missed.

Services Thursday July 9, 2020. 11 am at Watkins Heritage Chapel . visitation 9am. Interment Leavenworth National Cemetery Friday July 10, 2020 at 10 am. Services will live stream at 

                    http://mstcsunset.com/

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