PAUL DRAKE
Paul W. Drake was born May 14, 1933 the third child of Warren and Mary (Ferber) Drake. His childhood was spent in Ringgold County, graduating from Mount Ayr High School in 1951.
On November 14, 1953, he married Mildred (Mickey) Reynolds in Mount Ayr, Iowa. To this union, three children were born; Debra, Deanna and Deric.
Paul, and his uncle Cloyd Drake, owned and operated a feed store in Mount Ayr. In 1955, he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in California and Alaska. He was honorably discharged in 1957, returning home to Ringgold County where he spent the rest of his life on the Drake Century Family Farm.
In addition to farming, he had an avid love for horses that began with his father and carried through with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He loved raising and riding American Saddle horses.
Paul’s family was very important to him, and he was proud of them all. His grandchildren and great grandchildren were the light of his life.
Paul passed away at his home with family by his side on April 29, 2017. He was preceded in death by his parents, Warren and Mary Drake; parents-in-law Earl and Opal Reynolds; siblings Linden Drake and Lyle Drake; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Alan Richards, Paul Davis, Junior and Fern Reynolds, Thelma Drake, Herb Johnston, Marvin (Mack) Reynolds, Lila and Jim Overholtzer, and Cecil Davenport.
Surviving are his wife Mildred (Mickey) Drake of the home; children Debbie (Gaylen) Swanson of Clarinda, Deanna (Jerold) Adams of Kellerton, and Deric (Misty) Drake of Mount Ayr; grandchildren Clint (Jordan) Pirtle, Corey Pirtle, Lindsey Pirtle, Tosha Brooks, Brandi Smith, Mitchell (Jamee) Adams, Jodi (Brett) England, Dillon (Bailey) Drake, Tasha Drake, Dusty Drake, Natasha Vanheeswyk, Jacob Vanheeswyk; step-grandchildren Maddilyn (Jake) Bennett, Bailea Stark, and 18 great grandchildren; twin siblings Merl Drake of Mount Ayr and Mildred Johnston of Urbandale; in-laws Donella Drake of Mount Ayr, Olive Davis of Mount Ayr, Lou (Steve) Church of Mesa, Arizona, and Betty Davenport of Mount Ayr; a host of nieces and nephews; and friends.
Services were held on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr, Iowa with Pastor Darin Dolecheck officiating.
Casketbearers were Clint Pirtle, Corey Pirtle, Mitchell Adams, Dillon Drake, Chuck Smith, and Brett England. Honorary pallbearers were Fred Shields, Royce Dredge, Eric Walter, Dale Greene, and Larry Drake.
Burial is in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Mount Ayr, Iowa. Memorials are designated to go to Camp Sunnyside, Kellerton Community Building, and HCI Care Services in Mount Ayr, Iowa.
