Following is the obituary for DAVID JOHN BATE, submitted for the family by the Harding Funeral Home.

.   .   .

David John Bate, 78, passed away with his family by his side on March 7, 2022, in Fairfield. He was born in Birmingham, England, to the late William and Dorothy Bate. 

David graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Aston University in Birmingham, England. After accepting a position at Jaguar Rover, Inc, formerly British Leyland, he moved to the United States in 1965. David continued to advance in his career at Jaguar for nearly 25 years, retiring as the national technical service manager at their U.S. headquarters in Mahwah, N.J. 

He later founded EnviroSolutions, Inc., a distributor of environmentally safe cleaning products. He spent the remainder of his career traveling the country and brokering private sales of classic cars.

David was a member of the Saugatuck Harbor Yacht Club for over 40 years and served as chairman of the racing committee for six years. He was an accomplished sailor, partaking in numerous sailing competitions, including the Marion Bermuda Race, which he completed four times, and the Caribbean 1500. He also successfully earned his U.S. Coast Guard 6-Pack Captain’s License. 

Most summer weekends were spent with his family trimming the sails of their Cal 39 “Scimitar” on Long Island Sound. 

He was an avid car enthusiast who loved classic cars, specifically the AC Cobra. 

Music, photography, motorcycles and golf were some of David’s other favorite pastimes and, of course, socializing with his many friends. 

David is survived by his wife of 43 years, Patrice Choquette Bate; daughter, Jennifer Bate Orgera and her husband, Theodore, and his beloved grandchildren, Theodore Jr. and Chloe.

We will remember David as a passionate and hard-working man who lived life to the fullest and cherished time with his family and friends.

A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.