Tulsa Golf Community Mourns Sudden Passing Of Pat McCrate

Family and friends said their goodbyes to a Tulsa golf professional on Tuesday.

Pat McCrate was the director of golf at LaFortune Park in Tulsa and South Lakes in Jenks.

He died last week of a heart attack.

Loved ones say Pat McCrate touched countless lives and spent much of his time at LaFortune.

Their flag was at half-staff as hundreds of people gathered for his memorial service on Tuesday.

LaFortune Park Golf Course feels different without the man who had been running it for decades.

"Shock, just shock. The man is younger than I am,” Frederico Rosendo said.

Director Pat McCrate died Wednesday of a heart attack at 56 years old.

"He was one of those guys that was just always on top of everything in the whole shop,” said Rosendo.

PGA members and coworkers are devastated.

Craig Wheeler, an assistant golf pro, says he spent time with his boss the day before he died.

"All the guys that I work with, we all really cared about him, and I think we're all pretty much hurting,” Wheeler said. “We all would pretty much give up anything if he could just walk back in that door and tell us a weird joke."

Wheeler says McCrate loved golf but loved people more, a mentor to many.

The Ohio native also enjoyed cheering on Ohio State and spending time with his daughters, Maddie, 25, and Molly, 21.

"He'd walk the course with his daughters,” said Wheeler. “He loved being out there with them, so that was a big fun thing for them."

Coworkers say they will honor his legacy through what he taught them and the relationships he built.

"He did a lot for public golf and Oklahoma, and I think that it would be sad to see his legacy go away. He meant a lot to a lot of people," Wheeler said.

McCrate's company, JSJ Inc., contracted with Tulsa County.

In a meeting, Tulsa County officials said they would meet again later this week to decide who will replace McCrate's role.