Lois Rachal Pate

Lois Rachal Pate, 63, born on April 20, 1949, in Los Angeles, California, passed away February 21, 2013. She resided in Compton, California at the time of her passing. TRIBUTE FOR LOIS PATE
Life's Journey...
1949 - 2013

LEAD-IN SONG 1: *We Shall Meet Again" by the Mississippi Mass Choir

"A woman who cares about everyone in her community leaves a legacy to be remembered." Lois Pate cared about her family, her friends, the children in her neighborhood and the people who went hungry in the streets. Whether you knew her as Mama, Miss Lois, Auntie Lois, or Sis – Lois Pate was an incredible woman.

Life is a journey, it's always been that way,
And no two journeys are ever the same.
Life is a gift, something we embrace and yet,
Something we often do not understand.
Both in laying hold and in letting go,
We celebrate goodness.
We are grateful for the difference
Lois made in each of our lives and for all the
Moments we shared with her

Welcome and thank you for joining us as we celebrate Lois' life together this day. As we remember Lois, we think first of her immediate family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Rudolph and Lillie, and her sister, Diane. She is loved and remembered by her brother John and sister-in-law Terri; her brother Rudolph Junior; her niece Anntoineete; her nephew Yirmeyah; her brother-in-law Norman; extended family, her neighbors and all of her friends in her community.
In honor of her beliefs in God and heaven, let us join our hearts together to recite The Lord's Prayer:
Let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On Earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever.
Amen.
We listen now a special song by Micah Stampley Take My Life."
SONG 2: "Take My Life" by Micah Stampley
This day, we honor the many lessons that God has taught us throughout Lois' life.
Lesson number one: God reminds us that every life is a gift.
"Family is a link to our past and a bridge to our future," and Lois' life journey began with her family.
Lois Pate was born in Los Angeles to her parents, Rudolph and Lillie, on April 20th, 1949. Her father was a mechanic for Amtrak and her mother was a homemaker. She was raised with her brothers, Junior and John, and her sister, Diane. Lois had a good childhood and a wonderful family.
Growing up, she was very involved in church. She sang in the church choir, she worked in childcare at the church and she volunteered at the church food distribution center, helping those who were hungry. Lois was always thinking about other people.
She went on to graduate from Compton High School and attended Dental School with a goal to become a dental assistant.
Lesson number two: From First Timothy chapter 5 verse 8: ...if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith...
Caregiving was always a big part of Lois' life and she always put her family first. She was a caregiver to her mother for nearly a decade. She was determined that her mother would stay in her own home rather than be placed for nursing care. Her mother suffered from diabetes and lost both of her legs. Lois took excellent care of her mother, by being her caregiver and living with her in her home. Her brother, Junior, is autistic and she was also his caregiver until the end of her life.
Lois raised Diane's daughter, Anntoineete. She was like a mother to Anntoineete and inspired her every day. She encouraged Anntoineete by saying, "You can do it." If Anntoineete said she wanted to go to school to become an astronaut, Lois made her believe she could do anything.
Lois widened her reach. She looked into her community, she saw the needs and she became Mama to so many other people. She would sit on her porch and if she saw you pass by the house with a child that you were not caring for the right way, she'd bring you inside of her home and teach you how to take care of your kids.
If your gas was turned off and you couldn't make food for your family, she invited you to come to her home and cook the food with her gas stove. She'd also show you how to cook.
If you needed anything, Lois Pate was there for you. From the drunk to the doctor, Lois helped everyone in her community.
Lesson number three: Holidays and vacations are meant to bring people together.
Lois celebrated the traditional holidays including Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She put up a Christmas tree every year, decorated the house with Santa Claus and Snow Men, and played Christmas music in her home. She was also an amazing cook and you could always smell the pies and cookies baking in the oven. She had talents for cooking.
People would pass by her kitchen window and smell the cookies and they'd say, "Miss Lois, you cookin', where's my plate?" And, she happily shared the food she made with everyone.
Oftentimes, people forget about the caregiver. But, her family appreciated Lois and they made sure to give her a break from her responsibilities. Once in a while, the family placed Junior in a special home for a few days so Lois could recharge her batteries and have some fun.
John and Terri took her on trips to Solvang and Las Vegas. In Vegas, she liked to play the slot machines just for fun. She loved those trips.
Lesson number four: God reminds us to provide a nurturing environment and enjoy all of the colors of the rainbow.
With many favorites in life, Lois loved listening to Gospel music and R & B. She enjoyed a variety of music from Mahalia Jackson to the Marvellettes. She had a sense of humor and she even liked that song, "Grandma got run over by a reindeer." It made her laugh.
Lois enjoyed reading the newspaper. She also liked her sports, especially the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dodgers. Her favorite shows were science fiction – she loved eight-foot spiders and mega sharks. She had an incredible sense of humor.
At home, she appreciated taking care of her plants and she liked her roses. She loved bright colors especially orange and yellow; and springtime and summertime colors. Spring and summer were her favorite times of the year.
She loved her bird, "Missy." A friend gave the bird to Anntoineete, but Lois took care of the green and yellow parakeet. She talked to that bird every day.
One of her favorite things to do in life was to buy things on QVC. John and Terri even gave her gift cards for QVC. She'd buy candy apples, dishes and pots for her kitchen. She was hooked and having fun with QVC. If Anntoineete had her debit card in her pocket and Lois was watching QVC, she knew she was in trouble.
Lois was diagnosed with diabetes. She switched from using sugar to using Splenda. She stayed on top of checking her blood sugar. And, she was healthy when it came to food. She liked eating at Mimi's Café. She was fond of Fettuccine Alfredo, pasta dishes, salads and she loved fruits. She was also her own caregiver...
Lesson number five: Our family is a gift from the Lord.
The family celebrated Lois' birthdays and family birthdays together. The family loved buying her a cake for her birthday, because they didn't want her to have to bake her own cake. Her family always supported her and loved her – and in return, she loved them with all her heart.
In the end, who do you have in your life if not for your family? In her closing days, Terri gave her a massage at home and helped her with circulation in her feet. Sunday a week ago, Lois went to the hospital. Family members visited her.
She worried about Junior and she worried about Anntoineete. She was so very proud of Anntoineete as she saw her graduate from high school and she saw her become an E.M.T.
In the hospital, Anntoineete told her not to worry about Junior because she would take care of him. She told her that she would okay, too. Then, thinking only of Lois, she did one of the hardest things there is to do – she gave her permission to go. And, she was not afraid as she passed away peacefully into the loving arms of our Lord and Savior...
Lesson number six: Leave a legacy behind, as there is power in teaching others.
The best part of Lois' life was her family. Her purpose in life was to take care of everyone and in turn, everyone was greatly influenced by the way she lived her life. She truly led her life by example as she valued her family and friends.
Lois believed in God and heaven. Her family knows she is at peace and they will be reunited again one day.
Lois will best be remembered as sweet, kind and wonderful. She was a hard working lady who did not ask for accolades. She was always humble. She lived her life with love.
Even the cashiers at Ralphs and the employees at the pharmacy were sad to hear the news about her passing, because they loved Auntie Lois so very much. She was absolutely adored by her community.
Lois' family will miss her presence every day. John talked to her every morning and he'd wake her up to get her day started. Her family was a constant presence of love in her life and they are grateful for every day they had with Lois.
It is true that Lois did not like funeral services. The loss of her mother, father and her sister were very difficult for her. She even told her family that she didn't want to be at her own funeral and so this day, her urn is not present. Her family is honoring her wishes, but they are also honoring the life she lived and shared with her community.
Lois' advice to everyone would be to rejoice that she's with the Lord and she is at peace. She'd tell you she's working in heaven now and she's back with her mom, dad and her sister. John even had a dream that his mom and dad were happy again ... now he knows the meaning of that dream.
We listen now to a special song by Bebe & Cece Winans – "It's Ok."
SONG 3: "It's O.K." by Bebe & Cece Winans
***tbd* optional – insert optional speaker section – either invite people to speak or read sentiments from the family ...
SPEAKERS: optional
William Wordsworth said it best:

To have lived well, laughed often and loved much

To have gained the respect of intelligent men and

the love of children

To have filled a niche and accomplished a task

To have left the world better

and to have appreciated earth's beauty

and not failed to express it

To have looked for the best in others

and to have given the best of yourself

That is Lois' achievement.

SONG 4: "As Long As There's You" by Donnie McClurkin
As we commit Lois' spirit to God, let us share a special prayer followed by the prayer of comfort in the 23rd Psalm from the Bible.
Let us pray:
God of creation, be present here as we gather to remember Lois. As we commit her spirit to You, we are reminded that she was a good person who made a difference in every generation to follow. She loved her family and her entire community. As we pray for strength, we ask You to comfort her family, turn their tears into memories and grant them peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end.
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul.

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For His name's sake.

Though I walk through the valley of the

Shadow of death, I fear no evil.

For Thou art with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou dost prepare a table before me

In the presence of mine enemies;

Thou hast anointed my head with oil,

My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me,

All the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord, Forever.

Amen.

SONG 5: "Homecoming Glory" by Mary Mary
In all that you do, remember Lois... work hard, take care of your family, sit on your porch and take care of your community, teach everyone who needs your help, watch eight-foot spiders on sci-fi, remember to laugh, smile at everyone you meet, and give love and care to your family and friends every day because that's the way Lois lived her life.
As we conclude our services, everyone is welcome to greet the family as you exit. A smile and a hug speaks volumes this day...
On behalf of the family and Forest Lawn, thank you for your presence. God's blessings upon all of you...
"Wherever you go now, go with all your heart."
We listen to our closing song, "I Smile" by Kirk Franklin.

Song 6: "I Smile" by Kirk Franklin