Robert Roger "Bob-a-Lou" Pate

Robert Roger “Bob-a-Lou” Pate, 80, of Morehead City, passed away Thursday, June 13­, 2019, at the Crystal Coast Hospice House.

A Celebration of his life will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, December 23, 2019, at Morehead City Country Club, officiated by Pastor Rob Pate. Followed by a reception with light refreshments.

Bob was born on October 2,1938 and graduated from New Bern High School where he attended from 1952 through 1956, and later served in the United States Air Force. During his time in the military, he received 2 awards for Base Airman of the month and after 4 years of faithful service he was honorably discharged.

While in high school, Bob began a career in broadcasting where he had 30 minutes of airtime on a remote broadcast from New Bern for WMBL in Morehead City. Bob’s dad, along with 3 other gentlemen, brought AM radio to Carteret County in 1947. The location of the station was on an island between Morehead City and Beaufort, hence the name, Radio Island. The call letters of the station WMBL stood for, “Where Morehead and Beaufort Link”. Bob began his adult broadcast career in 1960, on WIHT and WRNB radio stations in New Bern. For better pay as a DJ and advertising sales, he moved to Morehead City where he was with the station for approximately 20 years, advancing from employee to owner. He brought FM radio to Carteret County in 1971, WMBL FM.

Following his years at WMBL, Bob had a varied career. Having been brought up in the clothing business in New Bern, where his dad and Grover Munden were the owners of Hill’s Men’s Clothing, Bob operated Robert Pate Ltd. Men’s Clothing store. Later, Bob and his very best friend and significant other, Lou Dailey, opened Bob-A-Lou’s Steak House on Highway 70. After that, Bob worked at the Parker Group and Jim Williams Ford. Bob finally got back into broadcasting in 1998, for the Sunny Beach FM, whose format consisted of beach music where he spent 3 years as the early morning DJ.

During the years as a Carteret County resident he served twice as Board Member and once as President of the Morehead City Country Club; he was a previous member of the Morehead City – Beaufort Elks Lodge; was one of the first Board Members of the Carteret County Economic Development Commission; and was President of the Carteret Broadcasting Company.

He is survived by his very best friend and companion of over 30 years, Lou B. Dailey of the home; daughters, Kathy Knickrehm and husband Craig of Omaha, NE and Nichole Futrell of Morehead City; son, Rob Pate and wife Tracy of Morehead City; sisters, Deborah Edwards and Peggy Austin, both of New Bern; grandchildren, Lauren Pate, Matt Pate, Kira Andersen and husband Kyle, Douglas Pate Knickrehm and significant other Kally Drake,  MaryBeth  Knickrehm and fiancé Arnav Kumar, Nicholas Daily, Landen Futrell and Christopher Pearson; and great-grandchildren, Cora Andersen, Leah Andersen and Iris Knickrehm.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Corrine Pate; and children, Kimberly Pate, Ricky Cherry, Jeanie Pearson and Debbie Cherry.

Flowers are welcome, or memorial donations may be sent to the Crystal Coast Hospice House at P.O. Box 640, Newport, NC 28560.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory in Morehead City, NC.