Robert Legate

Robert Allan Legate, 93, left his earthly body to be with Our Lord on Nov. 18, 2019. He was born in Arkansas to Carl Christopher Legate and Maude Elizabeth Ellison Legate who both preceded him in death. He was one of 6 children: preceded in death by Alvin Carl Legate and Claude Legate and survived by Sarah Brinkley, Blanche Jackson, and Grace Collins. He served in the Army during World War II where he was a Surgical Technician and Dental Technician and achieved sharpshooter level marksmanship. He attended Mississippi State University where he met Dorothy Seale Arledge on a double-blind date, but while on dates with other people.  They were married in 1949 after dating for one month and Robert borrowed $12 from Dorothy to buy her a wedding ring. They shared their lives for 70 years that were filled with love, family, and happiness. Robert and Dorothy built a life based on faith. They were among the charter members of St. Marks United Methodist Church in 1973. They adopted two daughters: Cynthia Gayle Legate who preceded them in death and Keleigh Lyn Legate Nichols (Burke Nichols). They have three grandchildren, Amber Lyn Legate, Justin Allan Nichols (Hannah Swoope Nichols), and Aaron Trent Nichols, and one great-grandchild, Tommy Allan Parker, and one more great-grandchild on the way. After his military service, Robert started his own successful business that ran for many years out of Brandon, MS throughout the southeast and across the country. While on a trip to New Orleans, he and Dorothy survived a hotel fire in which they had to scale down the outside of the building, jumping from balcony to balcony from the 12th floor. Throughout his life, he enjoyed many things including hunting, fishing, maintaining his 2-acre garden, canning, winemaking with his own muscadines, cooking, and baking. He loved projects and had many, from beekeeping to strawberry pots, Canadian geese nests to chicken roosts, rabbits to goats, pontoon boats to sailboats, sprinkler systems to electric gates. He did it ALL. His life is a testament and model to the ones that he leaves behind and his memory will be cherished.

The Visitation will be held at Ott and Lee Funeral Home of Brandon on Friday, Nov 22nd from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm.  The Funeral Service will be held at Ott and Lee Funeral Home on Saturday, Nov 23rd at 1:00 pm preceded by Visitation at 12:00 pm.  The Graveside Service will be at Lakewood Memorial Gardens following the Funeral.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation at garysinisefoundation.org or St. Mark’s United Methodist Church at saintmarksum.org.