September 27, 1969 - July 11, 2017
Christy Gerald Tate was born September 27, 1969, in Gulfport, Mississippi. She was the daughter of Floyd and Sherry Gerald. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, where she was the first female drum major for the USM Marching Band. She studied flute performance with Sharon Lebsack at USM, and she played under the baton of Thomas Fraschillo and Jay Dean in the USM Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. After graduation, she moved to Memphis where she became a studio flute teacher as well as a marching band consultant and drum major/guard instructor. She performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra on both flute and piccolo; she also occasionally performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on flute and piccolo. She coached many music students throughout the Memphis school system, and her students went on to become performers and music educators themselves. While mostly a music teacher and performer, Christy also was a competitive body builder, and won the titles Miss Tennessee and Miss Memphis during her career. She continued to teach yoga, aerobics, and serve as a personal trainer to clients interested in improving their health throughout the rest of her life. She moved to Wiggins, Mississippi, to be closer to her parents, who had retired to the area from Gulfport. She worked as a personal trainer at several area gyms until a car accident in the spring of 2017 made it impossible for her to be physically active. She suffered a massive heart attack and passed away on July 11, 2017. She was preceded in death by her father Floyd Gerald. She is survived by her mother Sherry Gerald of Wiggins, as well as her sister Claire Brantley, of Tampa, Florida. Her fur babies were her only children, and Max, Greta, Chloe, Matisse, and Wolfie were all very important to her. Wolfie is being cared for now by family members. Graveside services will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, July 17, 2017 at Crossroads Cemetery in Wiggins. Visitation will be from 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m., Monday, July 17, 2017 at Moore Funeral Services in Wiggins.
