The atrocious murder of her eldest daughter, Sharon, in 1969 brought Doris Tate years of tremendous heartbreak. Her family all but collapsed under the weight of their grief. For a time, it appeared there was no ending to this darkness.
“She fell into a horrible depression. She shut everything off,” Debra, her second-born daughter said. “The lights were on, but nobody was home. She would have moments of lucidity, but most of the time she was sedated.”
Through her pain, Doris Tate discovered a new passion. It began seven years after the murders when Doris learned that the killers were up for parole. She sprung into action and collected up to 340,000 signatures on a petition to keep members of the Manson family behind bars. The fight did not end there. Doris continued her work and became a leading figure in the victim’s rights movement. She attributed a great amount of work on Proposition 8, the Victim’s Rights Bill. Once it passed, it allowed loved ones to present victims impact statements during the sentencing of people convicted of violent crimes. Doris was also a very familiar face within several victims support groups including, Justice for Homicide Victims, Victim Offender Reconciliation, and LA’s chapter of Parents of Murdered Children, which she became a counselor for. Eventually, she established supportive organizations of her own. Doris’ tireless efforts earned her numerous awards, including “A Thousand Points of Light”, presented by President George H. Bush in April 1992. Later that summer on July 10th, Doris Tate passed away from a brain tumor at the age of 68.
Debra and Patricia “Patti” Tate carried on her legacy. After Doris’ passing, Patricia became the family’s spokesperson during parole hearings for Manson members, standing as a representation for both Sharon and Abigale Folger. She recalled the first time she attended one of Folger’s parole hearings during a television interview in 1993.
“I got hysterical for a second. I had to put my hand over my mouth because I started crying so hard because of my collective fears over a good part of my life. You know, these people have been my nightmare since I was a child. This is not a story. For a lot of people, it’s been a story they’ve heard over and over. This is my reality that has nightmares growing up and just broken my family to pieces.”
Just like her mother, Patricia hoped to help create change outside their personal tragedy. She took on the role of as a leader in the organizations Doris founded. She worked side-by-side with families who lost loved ones to violent crimes and hoped to restore a sense of peace into their lives. Tragically, Patricia Tate passed away from breast cancer on June 3, 2000. She was 42 years old.
Debra continues the Tate family’s crusade. She remains an active voice for victim’s rights and serves as a counselor for victims of violent crimes. During the summer of 2014, she released a book title “Sharon Tate: Recollection”. Each page is filled with photographs of Sharon, aligned with quotes from family members, friends, and coworkers. Always, Debra works to remind the world that Sharon is more than just a victim. There was a life before August 9th, 1969, and Sharon should be remembered for all the good she brought into the world.
