April 7, 2008

The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ family mourns the loss of our colleague Laurence (Larry) Tate, Grants Manager for the Conference’s HIV/AIDS Program. On March 26, Larry succumbed to lung cancer at the Capital Hospice inpatient center. Larry was 62.

In his 15 years at the Conference of Mayors, Larry worked first as a staff writer, and later was promoted to Grants Manager. In this position he coordinated and monitored over $15 million in HIV/AIDS prevention and education grants made by the Conference to community-based nonprofit groups nationwide. Larry was instrumental in advocating and securing grants designated specifically for Native American HIV/AIDS grants programs. His commitment and dedication to raising awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on the Native American community will be his lasting legacy here at the Conference of Mayors.

“Larry was a staff person, like many, who quietly got up every day and did his best to do his job to serve mayors and the people in our cities,” said Conference Executive Director and CEO Tom Cochran in a statement released upon learning of Larry’s passing. “He gave his life to us each day, each week, each month and each year since he joined that special group of people – the staff of the United States Conference of Mayors. We thank God for his work, his life and we express our deepest and heartfelt sympathy for his colleagues and friends at 1620 and beyond. May he rest in peace; we are most thankful for his service while he lived as he made daily contributions to help those amongst us who are sick, affirmed or suffer health challenges.”

Larry graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in English, was an Air Force Merit Scholar and was known in his early days as a popular film critic and anti-war writer. He was a member of the Cherokee nation and a former board member of the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center. He was also responsible for starting the National AIDS Treatment Hotline. His parents predeceased him and he was an only child.