1927-2026
Wilma Jean (Howarth) Tate, 98, passed away June 16, 2026, at her home in Wichita, Kansas. She was born on December 7, 1927, in Newkirk, Oklahoma, to Arthur and Opal (Hentrich) Howarth. On November 29, 1944, she married Alfred Clements Tate in Arkansas City, Kansas. He passed on December 21, 2004.
A former resident of Arkansas City, and later a resident of Great Bend for 61 years, Jean was a bookkeeper for Darnel Trucking for over 20 years then a sales associate at Wal-Mart for 23 years prior to her retirement in 2010. She was a member of the First Assembly of God Church (now Encounter Church), where she sang in the choir. Jean was an accomplished bowler, an exquisite seamstress, and enjoyed golfing at Lake Barton Golf Course. Along with her husband, she started a motorcycle club and took many road trips, including one all the way to Canada. As a proud Navy wife during World War II, she nurtured a love of country that built a Navy/Marine Corps legacy into the next four generations. Her compassion for others, her mischievous wit, and her love for Jesus will be remembered by all who had the privilege to know her. Above all else, Jean’s pride and joy was family. Her final years were spent in Wichita surrounded by the family she loved so much.
Survivors include her sisters, Carol (Howarth) Daulton of Arkansas City, Kansas and Patricia (Howarth) Parker of Maple Falls, Washington; daughters, Jacquline (Tate) Dodson and husband Steve of Wichita, Kansas, and Teresa Tate of Arkansas City, Kansas; grandchildren, DelJean (Smith) Jacobs of Colorado Springs, Colorado, DeNita (Smith) Freeman and husband Randy, Tate Smith and wife Karen, Aaron Smith and wife Stephanie, all of Wichita, Kansas, Kelly (Dodson) Kearney of Liberty, Missouri, Corey Dodson and wife Olga of Spring, Texas, Phaedra (Haussler) Link and husband Howard of Chesapeake, Virginia, William Haussler and wife Shay of Suffolk, Virginia; 18 great grandchildren; 11 great great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband; parents; brothers, Arthur Howarth and Donald Howarth; sister, Charlotte (Howarth) Palmer; and her daughter, Anita (Tate) Haussler.
Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 22, 2026, with visitation prior starting at 10:00 a.m., all at Bryant Funeral Home, with Pastors Marty Freeman and Traci Bennett presiding. Interment will follow at Great Bend Cemetery. Memorials have been designated to American Cancer Society, in care of Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Rd., Great Bend, KS 67530.
To send a flower arrangement in memory of Wilma Jean Tate, please click here to visit our sympathy store.
