Martha Elizabeth Tate, 78, a native Georgian whose administrative career in politics and government spanned 54 years with positions in Atlanta, Washington, DC and New York, died under hospice care at her residence at Brighton Gardens in Atlanta on September 28, 2011. She had suffered from Parkin’s Disease for over 20 years.
Martha worked in the press office at the State Capitol before moving to Washington in 1969 to be staff assistant to U.S. Senator Richard B. Russell. Her resume’ also included service with Georgia’s U.s. Senators David H. Gambrell and Sam Nunn, and Nevada’s U.S. Senator Sam Nunn.
After working when then Lt. Gov. Peter Zack Geer, Martha moved to the press office of Gov. Lester Maddox. She went to Washington in 1969 to join the staff of U.S. Senator Richard B. Russell and was working for him at the time of his death. She worked for a brief time with Russell’s successor, Sen. David H. Gambrell before going to the office of Senator Alan Bible of Nevada. When Sam Nunn became U.S. Senator from Georgia, one of the first persons selected to work in his office was Martha Tate and she was the senator’s personal secretary for five years. During the Carter Administration she worked with the Export-Import Bank. She worked as an assistant to Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke at Public Strategies and with Lehman Brothers in New York. She retired from the federal government and moved to Brighton Gardens in Atlanta in 2006, where two of her devoted longtime friends, Mary Beazley and Ann Grant provided many hours toward Martha’s well- being.
Martha is survived by a twin sister, Margaret Spencer (Bill) of Richmond and a brother Michael Jennings (Darlene) of Hampton.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, with a reception preceeding service at Tara Gardens Chapel in Jonesboro.
Martha Tate commended by Sen. Sam Nunn
Martha and President Jimmy Carter
Martha Tate