Wendell Drake

On Saturday, February 26, 2022, Wendell Curtis Drake passed away at the age of 77 with loved ones by his side following a difficult battle with cancer.

Wendell was born on October 3, 1944, in Lakeview, Michigan to Colin and Doris (Curtis) Drake. He graduated from Barryton High School in 1963 and then left for boot camp in Chicago with the U.S. Navy. After completing boot camp, he attended the Navy school in Memphis, TN where he became a jet technician. After graduation, he was stationed at Naval Air Station as a jet technician in Pensacola, Florida. He later attended the Colorado School of Trades in Denver, Colorado for custom gunsmithing. After completing school there, he moved to Ithaca, NY and worked as a manager at the Ithaca Gun Company. Wendell returned to Michigan in 1971 where he attended Ferris State University to study Tool & Die. He spent his professional life self-employed where he leveraged his knack for building and repairing just about anything.

Wendell was a resident of Wyoming, Michigan having lived in the Grand Rapids area for the past fifteen years where he owned an appliance repair business and was an active member at Grand Rapids First church. He spent most of his life living in the Osceola and Mecosta county areas where he grew up and where he raised his own family. More than anything, Wendell loved spending time with his family and would go out of his way to help anyone in need and always put others before himself. He loved being in the outdoors, especially if it was related to hunting, fishing, boating, or spending time in one of the log cabins out in the wilderness that he built over the years. Wendell was always known for his humor and loved to pick on those he cared for. Even in his last weeks, he made the many people caring for him smile.

Wendell was preceded in death by his father, Colin. He is survived by his mother Doris, his three siblings, Charlene Frederick, Larry (Freda) Drake, and Jan (Chuck) Zuke, his two children Chris (Pam) Drake and Wendy (Lee) Bauer, his grandchildren Collin, Bradley, Nathan, and Michael, the mother of his children Carol Eaton, many nieces and nephews, and his beloved friend Janet Marsiglia.

The family will be holding a celebration of life honoring Wendell on Saturday, March 19th from 2pm-5pm at the Fork Twp Community Center in Barryton, Michigan. The family will be there to welcome relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request memorial donations be sent to Hospice of Michigan (www.hom.org) or to Grand Rapids First in Wyoming, Michigan (www.grfirst.org).