Rev. Nathan Dye, Jr.

Rev. Nathan Rodney Dye, Jr. (Nate) 92 of Largo went home to be with the Lord on Monday, May 2, 2011. He was under the care of Suncoast Hospice Ivory Team. Nate was born in Clearing, Illinois on October 30, 1918 , the only child of the late Nathan Rodney Dye, Sr. and Harriet Kolkowski Dye. He moved to Largo in 1960 from Tennessee and became a member of the First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks. Nate is survived by his wife, Patti of 15 years, his son, Rodney and his daughter, Beverly. He has 3 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. In addition to his children, he is also survived by the loving families of Susan Cooper, Steve Lyke, Robert Lyke, brother-in law, Don Zirkelbach and family, sister-in-law, Marilyn Cimino, and a very close friend, Lou Fiore.

Nate was preceded in death by the mother of his children, Lorraine Sanders Dye, to whom he was married for 58 years.

Nate served in World War II Infantry, South Pacific Theater. He was stationed at Luzon in the Philippines and involved in the liberation of the Philippines, the conquest of Bataan and Corregidor. He was awarded 2 bronze stars and the Infantry Combat Badge.  He was also a Mason.

After completing his Army service, he was a truck driver for Ryder Trucking Lines, The Borden Company, and Pinellas Association for Retarded Children for a combined total of 44 years. Nate graduated from Trinity Bible College of Dunedin. He was ordained to the Gospel Ministry by Rev. Charlie Martin in 1978. Nate has been a Servant of the Lord for over 51 years in different positions.  He was a Mission Pastor, Chairman of the Deacon’s Committee and Chairman of the Pulpit Committee that recommended Rev. Charlie Martin as the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks. He also served by visiting nursing homes, hospitals, and prisons, did family counseling, performed weddings, conducted funerals, taught the Victory Class and had a weekly Bible Study Class in his mobile home park, Town and Country.  

Nate was a very caring person and will be missed by his family and many close friends. There will be no visitation. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks in the Worship Center on Monday, May 9, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. Interment will be private. The family requests, that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks or Suncoast Hospice Ivory Team in Nate’s memory.