Buel Ray Pate

September 22, 1930 ~ December 4, 2021

ABBEVILLE — Buel Ray Pate passed away peacefully in his home at the age of 91 on Saturday, December 4, 2021. Buel was born September 22, 1930 in Newton, Texas to Virgil Elwood Pate and the former Florence Gertrude Biscamp. The family moved to Bronson, Texas in 1935.
Buel graduated from Bronson High School in 1948. He was a basketball star of the 1948 District Championship Team scoring 642 points for the Bulldogs his senior year. His classmates willed “Buel Ray’s popularity and ability to play basketball” to the underclassmen. They also voted him Best All Around.
After graduation, he served in the Armed Forces of the United States in the 82nd Airborne Division as a Paratrooper and attained the rank of Corporal. Buel also worked as a mail clerk and played basketball in the Army. Buel transitioned into the Army Reserves in early 1951 to move home to help care for his recently widowed mother and newborn brother. Buel began working for Dow Chemical where he also played basketball.
During his time at Dow, Buel was introduced to Shirley Mae Mouton of Abbeville, Louisiana by some girls from his hometown who worked with her in Houston. They married on May 29, 1954 and started their family in Clute, Texas before moving back to Bronson in 1969 to operate a filling station in Pineland.
Buel and Shirley moved to Abbeville in 1976 to operate Mouton’s Grocery. The Pates built a new store and a home in Mouton Cove and ran the store near Seventh Ward Elementary for nearly twenty years.
Buel carried his love for basketball with him throughout his life. He played, coached, and watched games with his children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, neighbors, cousins and great-grandchildren.
Buel is survived by his wife of 67 years, Shirley Mae Pate; daughter, Kim Pate; sons, Tyson Ray Pate Sr. and Gary Pate; 5 grandchildren, Christopher Franks, Holly Boffy, Karla Garczynski, Tyson Ray Pate Jr., and Elizabeth Pate; 6 great-grandchildren, Ocean Pate, Pierce and Claire Boffy, Sophia LeBlanc, Beaux and Pax Garczynski; 1 great-great-grandchild, Oasis Pate; brother Virgil Michael Pate; and sister, Barbara Ann Riley.
Buel was preceded in death by his parents, Virgil and Florence Pate; brothers, Elwood and Terry Pate; and sisters, Verle Evelyn Romberg and Dorothy Smith.
The family hosted a private, Christian service on Thursday, December 9th at Esther Baptist Church to honor his life. He was laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with a service officiated by Brother Wallace Primeaux Jr. Serving as pallbearers were Carrick Boffy, Pierce Boffy, Christopher Franks, John Garczynski, Ocean Pate, Tyson Ray Pate Jr., and Luke Mayeux.
Donations can be made to Hospice of Acadiana in memory of Buel. The family also encourages friends to give a basketball to a child in need.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.