The Rev. Donald E. Drake, 85, of DuBois went home to the Lord on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014 at the DuBois Nursing Home.
Born April 22, 1929 in Lock Haven, he was the son of the late Robert B. and Lola (Wolfe) Drake.
On June 8, 1949, he married Jeanne (Barner) Drake. She preceded him in death on May 5, 1987.
He resided in Hyner and graduated from the Bucktail Area High School. He was a member of the Army National Guard, serving as a staff sergeant at Fort Campbell, Ky.
He was employed by the Pennsylvania Forestry Service and by Hammermill Paper in Lock Haven.
He then entered the ministry in 1964, serving in the United Methodist Church in the Central Pennsylvania Conference, where he served the Halfmoon Charge at Stormstown.
He’d been a minister at Grampian United Methodist Charge, the DuBois Trinity United Methodist Church and the Penfield United Methodist Church within the Western Pennsylvania Conference.
Mr. Drake retired in 1994, and spoke at several other churches during his retirement and filled the pulpit of the Anita Lutheran Church for the past 14 years.
He was a member of the Grampian Lions Club and the Hyner Sportsmen’s Club. He volunteered in the Pastoral Care Department of the DuBois Regional Medical Center for several years. He performed gospel magic and ventriloquism in his ministry and as a guest speaker at area churches.
He’s survived by his daughter, Viki Bell and her husband, Boyd of Clearfield and his son, Kenton Drake and his wife, Judy of DuBois.
He’s survived by five grandchildren, Robin Bell Brown and her husband, Erik and Nathan Bell, both of Clearfield; Brent Bell of Philadelphia; Corry Drake and his wife, Dana of Pittsburgh; and Dylan Drake and his, wife Ami of Jacksonville, NC.
He’s survived by four great-grandchildren, Andrew and Evan Brown and Levi and Waylen Drake. He’s also survived by five nephews, Alan, Marvin and Lynn Lunger and Ron and Kenneth Barner and three nieces, Beth Morrison, Cheryl Lucas and Neadie Kay Sockman.
He was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Linda Kay Drake, his infant brother, Robert Drake and his sister, Grace Drake Lunger and her husband, Howard.
Friends will be received from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Goble-Baronick Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with his friend, Pastor David Nagele officiating.
Burial will follow in Friends Cemetery, Grampian.
Memorials may be placed with the Hyner United Methodist Church, 6767 Renovo Rd., Mill Hall, PA 17751, and or the charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be made to www.gbfuneralhome.com.
