Marjorie Hemke Tate

June 28, 1920 - June 16, 2015

Marjorie H. Hemke Tate, 94, of Winchester passed from this world Tuesday, June 16, 2015. She was born June 28, 1920 in Annapolis, MD the daughter of Paul E. and Edith Kriege Hemke. Her father’s career in aeronautics required relocations to Cleveland, OH, Hampton, VA, Cambridge, England, and Troy, NY. Marjorie was a graduate of Emma Willard School in New York and received her BA degree in Art from Brown University. She also attended the Rhode Island School of Design, and was a member of the Art Students League of New York. She was employed in the 1940’s by Congolium, Nairn design flooring patterns, and by General Electric where she drafted submarine panel boards for the war effort. Marjorie married Lt. Leonard W. Tate on September 14, 1946 in New Orleans in a ceremony officiated by her grandfather. In 1947 she and her husband opened Tamac Pottery in Perry, OK where she was the principle designer. Leonard’s career for the Federal Government led to moves to such countries as Saipan and Iran with visits to Japan and Europe. They returned to Washington D.C. in 1959. Ten years later they would settle in Winchester, VA. Marjorie was a gifted artist who painted an extensive collection, with her primary love being water colors. She co-founded the Shenandoah Valley Artists Association, and was a president of the Shenandoah Arts Council and also VECCA, and BRAC. She did many art shows and won numerous awards for her paintings. As an amateur genealogist, she spent over 20 years compiling data of her family history. She was known for her kindness, generosity, love of nature, and animals. She is survived by her sister, Emily D. Neumann; daughters, Victoria M. Knauss and her husband John of Winchester, and Alice H. Vermilye of West Palm Beach, FL; nieces, Helen Dowd of Seattle, WA, Carol Gaynor of Portland, OR, Lisa A. Zurawicki of Castleton, NY, nephew Paul Neumann of Castleton, NY, and numerous great and grand nieces and nephews. Her parents, husband, brother, Harold P. Hemke, niece Laura E. Neumann are deceased. A funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday in the Shenandoah Memorial Park Chapel, 1270 Front Royal Pike Winchester with Reverend Dr. Ken Patrick officiating. Friends will be received an hour prior to the service.