Drake, Charles A. 1906-1994

DRAKE, FRITZ, WILLETT, JOHNSON, VYSKOCIL

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/6/2011 at 09:08:45

The Brooklyn (IA) Chronicle; May 11, 1994

CHARLES DRAKE

Charles A. Drake, 87, a resident of Brookhaven Nursing Home, Brooklyn, died May 4 in Grinnell Hospital.

Funeral services for Mr. Drake were held at 1 p.m. May 7 in the Nevenhoven Funeral Home. Rev. Dorie Hansen, pastor of Grace United Methodist Church, officiated and the organist was Mrs. Marilyn Kriegel.

Casketbearers were Jack Cleverley, George Morden, Daryl Drake, Don Heisler, Dan McConnell, and Dean Roth. Interment was in Brooklyn cemetery with military rites conducted by members of Francis Gallagher American Legion Post #294.

Charles Arthur Drake, son of John Arthur Drake and Eva Marie Fritz Drake, was born Dec. 17, 1906 in Bear Creek Township, Poweshiek county. Charles received his education in a rural school. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II as a crew chief of a B-17 bomber. He served in the battles and campaigns of Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, Central Europe, and Air Offensive Europe.

He operated a trucking business in Brooklyn and worked for many years as a truck driver for Manatts, Inc.

On April 15, 1949 he was united in marriage to May Willett in Brooklyn. She died March 12, 1974. On Aug. 27, 1984 he was united in marriage to Sylvia M. Johnson in Malcom. She died June 22, 1993.

Mr. Drake was a continuous member for 49 years of Francis Gallagher American Legion Post #294 of Brooklyn.

Surviving are two sisters, Mary Lou Drake and Dorothy Vyskocil both of Cedar Rapids, and two brothers, Donald of Boone and Allen of Ames. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wives, three sisters, and two brothers.