Longtime Palisades hairdresser Steven Byron Tator passed away on September 13 at the age of 51. ”Tator, ‘Tate,’ was born on January 17, 1953 in Winsted, Connecticut, to Harold Lee and Joan Tator-Sayler. He attended school in Simsbury Connecticut, and joined the Navy in 1969. ”On leaving the Navy, he decided to become a hair stylist. Tate attended hair dressing school in Maine, Rhode Island and classes in Montreal and worked in Avon, Connecticut, before moving to West Hollywood. ”He worked in Los Angeles for a short time and saw an ad in the newspaper for Sunset West Salon. He was so excited about the prospect of working on the ‘strip’ that he drove, and drove, and drove to meet with Stevie in his Pacific Palisades shop, where he remained as a stylist for 21 years. ”Tate was well-known for his and his life partner Al Brown’s holiday parties. Their Easter egg-coloring and pumpkin-carving for the children, Halloween, Fat Tuesday, and famous Christmas parties will always be remembered. No one was excluded’from young children to grandparents, to any chosen life style. The only thing Tate and Al asked was that guests leave their troubles at the door and enjoy themselves in their home. Tate was a giving person and enjoyed life to the fullest. He loved to travel, here and abroad. ‘As it should be.’ ”Tate is survived by his partner Al Brown of Santa Monica; his mother Joan of San Jacinto; sister Cheryl of Hemet; brother Dan of Cullman, Alabama; stepsister Barbara of Carlsbad; stepbrother Robert of Del Mar; Aunt Lynn and Uncle John of Lancaster; Aunt Muriel and Uncle Bill of Colebrook, Connecticut; Aunt Patricia and Uncle Spenser of Tuscon; three nephews and three nieces along with several cousins. ”” ”His brother, Lee, preceded him in death in 1986, his father in 1989 and his stepfather, Cdr. Richardson Sayler, in 2000. His final resting place will be in Genoa, Nevada, with his brother and father. ”Tate will be missed by so many for his thoughtfulness, stating his beliefs in no uncertain terms, joy of life, never complaining’even when he should have, his capabilities of listening (and keeping secrets), his flair for decorating (and rearranging), excellent taste in his home and friends. ”There will be a New Orleans-style celebration of life on October 10 at the Golden Bull restaurant, West Channel Road, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is limited parking, so park across PCH, or park across from the Kings Head Restaurant, 2nd and Santa Monica. There will be a double decker bus to take guests to the Bull. Please be at the pickup site by 10:45 a.m. There will be a parade and return shuttle service to the Britannia restaurant in Santa Monica to continue Tate’s celebration of life.
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