Creston George Tate, a prominent Maryland automobile dealership owner and philanthropist whose business success helped support healthcare, education and community initiatives, has died at the age of 99.
Tate passed away peacefully on October 19, 2026, after spending recent days with members of his family, according to his official obituary published by Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Born on July 24, 1927, he remained active in business well into his later years, with his family noting that he was last at his office on September 10, 2026, still looking for his next business opportunity.
His life story reflected a journey from a difficult childhood to a successful career in the automotive industry and a commitment to giving back. Alongside his wife, Betty Jane, Tate supported healthcare facilities, educational scholarships and charitable organizations that served communities in Maryland and beyond.
His death marks the loss of a businessman whose influence extended beyond the dealerships he owned to the institutions and people who benefited from his generosity.
From a Difficult Childhood to Business Success
Creston George Tate grew up in Masonville, Maryland, in a family that experienced significant financial hardship. According to his family’s obituary, he was one of nine children, with eight brothers and sisters, and the family spent many years sharing a two-bedroom home with their parents.
Seeking better opportunities, Tate joined the United States Navy at the age of 16. The experience came early in a life that would later be defined by his determination to find opportunities and build a successful career.
Before entering the automobile business, Tate worked a number of jobs that paid relatively little. With another child on the way, he was looking for a more promising opportunity when a man he encountered through fast-pitch softball gave him a business card and offered him a job at Stewart Motors in Brooklyn, Maryland.
The opportunity arrived in 1953, and Tate accepted it. His first experience selling a car quickly convinced him that he had found the right industry. As his obituary recounts, he felt comfortable with the work almost immediately, although what interested him most was not simply the vehicle being sold but the deal itself.
That early enthusiasm became the foundation of a career that would span decades and establish him as a successful figure in Maryland’s automobile dealership business.
Building a Dealership Career Across Maryland
After Stewart Motors closed, Tate approached Bill Ewell, the owner of Ewell Motors in Glen Burnie, about employment. Ewell initially took time to agree to the arrangement, but Tate eventually joined the business.
Tate believed the dealership had room to grow and worked toward expanding its success. After approximately 16 years, he began the process of purchasing the business as Ewell prepared to retire, eventually becoming its owner.
From that starting point, Tate developed a broader presence in the automotive industry. His business interests included dealerships in Glen Burnie, Annapolis and Frederick, Maryland.
According to the family obituary, the dealerships consistently performed among the top in the country during various periods of his ownership. His success reflected his ability to recognize commercial opportunities, negotiate transactions and build businesses around the demand for automobiles.
Tate also became successful in real estate. The same instinct for recognizing an opportunity that shaped his automobile career helped him pursue investments beyond the dealership business.
His professional life was not built around a single transaction or location. Instead, it developed over many years through employment, ownership, expansion and investment.
A Businessman Who Continued Working at 99
One detail in Tate’s obituary illustrates how closely he remained connected to his work late in life.
His family reported that he was last in his office on September 10, 2026, just weeks before his death. Even at that stage of his life, he was still thinking about the next major business opportunity.
The detail offers a glimpse of a man whose professional interests continued well beyond the age when many people have long since retired.
Tate’s career also demonstrates how a single employment opportunity can become the starting point for a much larger journey. The job at Stewart Motors in 1953 gave him an entry into the automobile industry, but his subsequent achievements grew from the experience and opportunities he pursued afterward.
His family described him as someone associated with both longevity and achievement, with his legacy encompassing not only commercial success but also the charitable work that became an important part of his life.
Creston Tate and Betty Jane’s Commitment to Philanthropy
As Tate’s business success grew, he and his wife, Betty Jane, increasingly focused on supporting their community.
Their charitable work began with local teams and schools before expanding into a wider range of philanthropic initiatives. The family obituary describes their giving as a deliberate commitment to helping organizations and causes that could make a meaningful difference.
One of their significant contributions involved healthcare services at Baltimore Washington Medical Center, commonly known as BWMC. Tate and his wife helped establish the Tate Cancer Center and had also supported the hospital’s emergency room before the cancer center was established.
The Tate Cancer Center provides an enduring connection between the family’s philanthropy and the healthcare needs of the surrounding community. Their support helped contribute to services that benefit patients and families facing serious medical challenges.
The couple also supported Hospice of the Chesapeake, an organization that provides hospice and supportive care. Hospice services can help patients and families navigate serious illness while receiving care focused on comfort, dignity and quality of life.
Their charitable interests extended beyond healthcare, reflecting a broader belief in supporting institutions that serve the public.
Supporting Education and Future Generations
Education was another important part of the Tates’ philanthropic work.
According to the official obituary, the couple supported scholarship funds for Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland and Rappahannock Community College in Virginia, among other community foundations.
Scholarship funding can help students manage educational expenses and pursue training or qualifications that might otherwise be more difficult to afford. By supporting such initiatives, the Tates contributed to opportunities for students seeking to develop their skills and prepare for future careers.
Their support for schools and local teams had begun on a smaller scale before expanding into broader philanthropy. This progression reflects the range of causes the couple chose to support as their resources and influence increased.
The family’s account also notes Tate’s involvement in entrepreneurial philanthropy that aided cardiac health globally. This extended the reach of his charitable interests beyond the immediate communities where he operated his businesses.
Together, these efforts formed a significant part of his legacy, connecting his success in the private sector with support for healthcare, education and community institutions.
Family Life and Loved Ones
Away from business and philanthropy, Tate’s life was closely connected to his family.
He met Betty Jane Wills during elementary school, and the two maintained a connection that eventually led to their marriage in 1949. They went on to raise three children: Dale, Deb and Pam.
According to the official obituary, Dale is survived alongside his wife, Geri; Deb and her husband, Bill; and Pam and her husband, Patrick. Tate’s surviving family also includes eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
His grandchildren are identified in the obituary as Nina, Courtnee, Creston, RJ, Matt, Aislinn, Teagan and Seamus. His great-grandchildren are Emerson, Sully, Dempsey, Bennett, Cooper, Owen, Ruby, Mia, Madison and Myla Jane.
The obituary also remembers an extended family of nieces, nephews and their children.
Tate’s final days were spent with family members, according to the funeral home’s account. His passing brings to a close a life that spanned nearly a century and included major changes in American business, healthcare and education.
Funeral Arrangements for Creston George Tate
Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services has announced visitation and funeral arrangements for Tate in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
The family will receive visitors at Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services, P.A., at 1 2nd Avenue SW, Glen Burnie, on Wednesday, October 28, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Thursday, October 29, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
His funeral service is scheduled for Friday, October 30, at 11 a.m. at Lighthouse Church, located at 6691 Baymeadow Drive, Suite 200, Glen Burnie, Maryland.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial donations be made to the Tate Center at Baltimore Washington Medical Center or to Hospice of the Chesapeake in Pasadena, Maryland.
Those wishing to pay their respects or make a memorial contribution can consult the funeral home’s official obituary for further details.
Remembering a Legacy Beyond Business
Creston George Tate’s life brought together commercial ambition, family commitment and a sustained interest in philanthropy.
He entered the automobile business in 1953 after a period of financial difficulty and built a career that eventually included ownership of dealerships in several Maryland communities. His success in real estate further expanded his business interests.
Yet the account shared by his family places particular emphasis on what he and Betty Jane did with that success. Their support for cancer care, emergency services, hospice, scholarships and other community initiatives helped direct resources toward causes affecting people’s lives.
Tate’s story also serves as a reminder that business success can have an influence beyond the companies and transactions that produce it. The institutions supported by his philanthropy may continue serving patients, students and families long after his death.
As relatives, friends, colleagues and community members remember him, his legacy will be associated with both the businesses he developed and the charitable work that became a defining part of his later life.
Creston George Tate was 99 years old when he died on October 19, 2026. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and an extended family whose memories will preserve the story of his life.
Key Facts About Creston George Tate
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Creston George Tate |
| Date of birth | July 24, 1927 |
| Date of death | October 19, 2026 |
| Age | 99 |
| Place associated with his business career | Glen Burnie, Maryland |
| Profession | Automobile dealership owner, businessman and real estate investor |
| Automotive career began | 1953, at Stewart Motors in Brooklyn, Maryland |
| Other dealership locations | Glen Burnie, Annapolis and Frederick, Maryland |
| Spouse | Betty Jane Tate |
| Children | Dale, Deb and Pam |
| Philanthropic causes | Healthcare, cancer care, hospice, education and scholarships |
| Funeral home | Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services, P.A. |
| Funeral service | October 30, 2026, at 11 a.m. |
| Funeral location | Lighthouse Church, Glen Burnie, Maryland |
Disclaimer
This obituary is based on the official notice published by Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services. Biographical information, surviving family members, charitable contributions and funeral arrangements are drawn from that notice. Readers should consult the funeral home’s obituary for any updates to service information or memorial donation instructions.