WILMINGTON — Judy Ann Dickens Pate passed away on November 20, 2024, at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare in Wilmington, North Carolina, after a 13-year battle with dementia. She was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on November 13, 1944, to the late Leslie Milton Dickens and Margaret Eloise Peaden. In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by her sister, Margaret Dale Simmons.
Judy graduated from West Edgecombe High School and East Carolina College (University) with a Bachelor of Science in 1967 and began her career as a science teacher for Wake County Schools in Raleigh before moving to Wilmington in 1983. She continued her career with New Hanover County Schools until retirement as a science teacher at Roland-Grise Junior High and a biology teacher at John T. Hoggard High School. Judy’s favorite part of teaching was sharing her enthusiasm for the sciences by engaging her students with hands-on labs to encourage their curiosity and make learning fun. Once retired, she especially enjoyed watching the many birds that flocked to her bird feeders outside her kitchen window and attending outings with her family and her Red Hat Group, The Boardwalk Babes.
Judy is survived by her children, daughter Kristie Liana Pate (Dean Suraci) and son Edwin Lindley Pate (Rebecca), her grandchildren, Adria Pate and Harrison Pate, her sister, Carol Wright (Dave), and her best friend and cousin, Frances Mitchell. She will also be missed by her longtime caregiver and friend, Verlene Singleton. The family is grateful for the care and support that Verlene provided for Judy during some of the most challenging years of her life, helping her keep her sweet disposition and fun spirit; the two of them often referred to themselves as “Salt and Pepper.”
Judy will be remembered by her son Edwin as being “the best Mama in the whole wide world,” and her youngest sister Carol will always reflect fondly on Judy as the sister who claimed that as the eldest, she had to set an example for her two younger sisters by getting good grades and staying out of trouble; she accomplished both with flying colors. Kristie always enjoyed spending time with her Mama and finding fun and interesting outings for the two of them; two of Judy’s favorite adventures with her were being surprised with a Cher concert and feeding the emus by hand at SkyWatch Bird Rescue in Castle Hayne.
A small celebration of Judy’s life will be held in the spring for family and close friends. Aquamation services are entrusted to Tranquility Cremation by Aquamation of Wilmington. In remembrance of Judy, the family would like to memorialize her with a tribute plaque or tile at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.
In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing toward her tribute by making a donation in her memory to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare at 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401, by calling 910-796-7900.
