Christine (Mankin) Pate
Obituary of Christine (Mankin) Pate
Thelma Christine Pate, age 97, took her heavenly flight from her home in Wilburton, OK to the presence of her Savior on May 20, 2024.
She was born to William T. Mankin and Birdie (Padgett) Mankin on May 21, 1926, in Panola, Oklahoma.
Chris attended school at Panola and graduated High School with the class of 1944. Love must have been in the air surrounding that Senior class, for out of it came three couples who made their way down the aisle of matrimony. Thomas Lowell Pate and Christine Mankin were married on June 26, 1946 at her home in Panola, OK.
Before marriage, Chris found a couple of places of employment in California– the shipyard’s office during WWII and also Montgomery Ward. After marriage, she became a homemaker. She loved her job of taking care of her husband and their girls, keeping her home neat and tidy with a place for everything and everything in its place, and serving tasty meals where she watched her guests’ plates to make sure they went back for seconds. Should anyone drop by for a visit, and many often did, she always had a welcome smile and a piece of cake or pie to serve with a cup of coffee.
It was well known in the community that Chris Pate faithfully cooked dinner every Thursday night for her girls and their families for over 40 years. In her kitchen was a spot by her coffee pot where she sat every morning with her focus on the Lord and her eyes on His Word. She prayed there relentlessly for those she loved, for those who were sick and for those who had needs that only a Loving Father could meet.
Christine was pleased to be a member of Centerpoint Baptist Church, Wilburton, OK. Yet, something was more important to her than that membership. It was her position in the Family of God. She was a daughter of the Most High King from the age of 13 years. It was then that she gave her heart and her life to Jesus Christ and was baptized in a creek near the Panola community.
Chris is survived by her two daughters, Gwen Grego and husband, John, of Wilburton, OK; Carla Lessel and husband, Jerry, of Panola, OK; two granddaughters, Johna Roberts and husband Chris, of Choctaw, OK; Amber Shaffer of Panola, OK. Nine great-grandchildren, Andrew Roberts and wife, Devyn, of Midwest City, OK; Daniel Roberts of Midwest City, OK; Timothy Roberts, Miriam Roberts and Naomi Roberts all of Choctaw, OK; Josiah Shaffer, Kate Shaffer, Maverick Shaffer and Luca Shaffer all of Panola, OK; two siblings, Nadine Strout of Yukon, OK; Donald Mankin and wife, Rheta, of Grapevine, TX; also, numerous nieces and nephews.
Preceding Chris in death were father and mother, W. T. and Birdie Mankin, husband of sixty years, Tom Pate, one brother, A. C. Mankin and wife, Rena, five sisters, Audie Gniffke, Evelyn DeHart, Juanita Golightly, Kathryn Harwell, and Bernice Kint.
Pallbearers are Andrew Roberts, Daniel Roberts, Timothy Roberts, Josiah Shaffer, John Grego and Jerry Lessel.
Honorary pallbearers are DeWayne Mankin, Kevin Kint, Mike Strout, Steven Pate and Kenneth Dill.
The viewing will be on Wednesday, May 22, in the home of Chris Pate at 2021 NE Center Point Road, Wilburton, Oklahoma, where the family will be receiving guests from 4-8 p.m. .
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on May 23, 2024, at Centerpoint Baptist Church, Wilburton, OK. Rev. Byron “Bud” Vinson, Pastor, and Rev. Chris Roberts will be conducting the service. Burial will be in Lutie Cemetery, Wilburton, OK.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Centerpoint Baptist Church Building Fund for the Children’s Department remodel.