MILDRED LOUISE DRAKE
Mildred Louise Drake was born to Earl and Opal Reynolds on May 15, 1935 in Mount Ayr, IA. To all of her family and friends she was known and loved as Mickey. She grew up on the family farm with her siblings, Junior Reynolds, Olive Davis, Mack Reynolds, Lila Overholzer, Lou Church, and Betty Davenport. She attended country school and then graduated from Mount Ayr High School in 1953.
On November 14, 1953, she was joined in marriage to Paul W. Drake. She took a job in town at the grocery store. Mickey then joined Paul in Alaska while Paul served in the U.S. Army and then came home to reside on the Drake family century farm near Mount Ayr, IA. To this union, three children were born: Debbie, Deanna and Deric. She was baptized on May 12, 1957 at the First Christian Church in Mount Ayr, IA. Mickey did in-home day care and raised her children. She later achieved her CDA in early childhood development. She taught Headstart for many years and then worked at the group home. Mickey finished out her career with an in-home day care caring for her many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Mickey loved children. She always had activities planned and created for them to do. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were the light of her life. Mickey loved her family and supported her kids, grandkids and great grandkids sporting events, programs and concerts. Mickey liked to garden and always had a huge garden and strawberry patch in which she did a lot of canning, freezing vegetables and making jelly. Mickey made great rolls. This was a family favorite. Proven in fact by her three great grandsons that hid the rolls in their pants, so they could take them home. Mickey read her Bible daily and wrote many poems, one of which is on the back of her memorial folder today. Her many writings were a great treasure to her children when discovered.
Mickey was always smiling and had that sparkle in her eyes of a woman with great love for all. In later years after Paul’s death, she moved to town and enjoyed exploring many activities with her sisters and friends. Monday night dancing was one of her favorite things. She enjoyed watching and spoke about the entertainment and camaraderie of the event.
Mickey passed away on December 25, 2020. She joined the Angels in Heaven on the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Drake, April 29, 2017; her parents, Earl and Opal Reynolds; parents-in-law, Warren and Mary Drake; brothers, Junior Reynolds and Mack Reynolds; sisters, Lila Overholzer and Olive Davis; brothers-in-law, Alan Richards, Paul Davis, Jim Overholzer, Cecil Davenport, Linden Drake, Lyle Drake, Merle Drake and Herb Johnston; sisters-in-law, Fern Reynolds, Norma Jean, Thelma Drake and Donella Drake.
Surviving are her children, Debbie (Gaylen) Swanson of Coin, IA, Deanna (Jerold) Adams of Kellerton, IA, Deric (Misty) Drake of Mount Ayr, IA; grandchildren, Clint (Jordan) Pirtle of Omaha, Corey Pirtle of Clarinda, Lindsey Pirtle (Stacey) of Clarinda, Tosha Brooks (Dan) of Indianola, Brandi Johnson of Grand River, Mitchell Adams (Jamee) of Kellerton, Jodi (Brett) England of Mount Ayr, Dillon (Bailey) Drake of Diagonal, Tasha Drake (Brandon) of Mount Ayr, Maddilyn (Jake) Bennett of Bondurant and Bailea (Blake) Butler of Diagonal; twenty- five great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren; sisters, Lou (Steve) Church, Mesa, AZ and Betty Davenport of Mount Ayr; sister-in-law, Mildred Johnston of Urbandale, IA; and a host of nieces, nephews and many friends.
There will be an open visitation held at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr on Friday, January 1 from 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 2, 2021 at the First Christian Church in Mount Ayr with Pastor Darin Dolecheck officiating. Mask and social distancing is required at the service. The services will be livestreamed from the church on the funeral home web page of www.armstrongfh.com. Casketbearers are Clint Pirtle, Corey Pirtle, Mitchell Adams, Dillon Drake, Dan King, Brett England. Honorary casketbearers are Lindsey Pirtle, Tosha Brooks, Brandi Johnson, Jodi England, Tasha Drake, Maddilyn Bennett, Bailea Butler.
Burial is in Rose Hill Cemetery.
A memorial fund has been established in her name to be decided.
