Obituary: John Drake

John Drake

Moorhead, Minn.

John Burton Drake, 79, of Moorhead, Minn., passed away on February 11, 2024, in St. Catherine South, Fargo, N.D.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024, at 11 a.m., in Leann Drake's residence at 2900 Highway 281, Sheyenne, N.D. A visitation was held one hour prior to the service. Burial will be held in Hillside Cemetery, Oberon, N.D., at a later date.

John B. Drake was born April 30, 1944, in Devils Lake, N.D., to Clarence and Helen (Hanner) Drake. He grew up in Benson County and graduated from Sheyenne High School. He was drafted into the Army in 1965 and served in Vietnam from 1966-1967. John was a lifetime VFW member.

John had worked for a lumber yard and had been part owner of a service station with his nephew Donald Hoffarth in the Denver, Colo., area. John and Mary moved to Oklahoma in 1977 and lived there for two years. Wanting their children to grow up with their extended family members, John and Mary returned to North Dakota in 1979 where he worked for Warren Implement in Sheyenne, N.D. He held several mechanic jobs in the Fargo area starting in 1993. In 2005 he became co-owner of Northside Truck Repair of Moorhead with his son John "Johnny" A. Drake. Throughout the years John assisted his brother, KC and sister-in-law, Linda with the family farm in rural Sheyenne.

John married Mary Kraft on April 11, 1970. To that marriage they expanded their family with two sons and one daughter: Adam, Angeline, and John. John and Mary later divorced, and he then married Geraldine Overland Windahl on January 14, 1995; they later divorced.

John enjoyed spending time with his children and their families. He made several Sunday afternoon meals for Johnny and the "guys." He often invited other family and friends to come join in the feast. He also was a very good cribbage player and loved it when the cribbage board would come out after the meals.

John was always there to lend a helping hand or a listening ear if you needed someone to talk to. He was always a phone call away.

John is survived by three children and their families: a son, Adam (Tanya) Drake, and their children, Aaron Del (Kaitlyn) Drake, Jeanna (Tyler) Brown, Kaylynn (Hamilton) Williams, great-grandsons (Aaron Del's children), Nikko and Kiáran Drake; a daughter, Angeline (Scott Senger) Drake, and her children, Jasmine (Max) Brown, Carmen Pesce, Darion Pesce, and great-grandson (Carmen's child) Roscoe Pesce; and son, John Drake. He is also survived by his first wife, Mary Rutten; second wife, Geraldine Drake; stepchildren, Norine (Young) Im and family, Russell (Kayla) Windahl and family, Mellissa (Larry) Finseth and family, Angie (Jeremy) MacAdams and family, Julie (Jamie) Wenner; brothers, Kenneth "KC" and Douglas; sisters, Laura, Donna, Edna and Frances; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Helen; sisters, Jean Hoffarth, Phyllis Knoff, Mary Vogel; and brother, Lauren Drake.

In lieu of flowers John wanted donations to go to the Fargo VA Medical Center.

Arrangements by Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service of Moorhead, Minn.,