Charles "Charlie" Harrison Drake III, 65, returned to his heavenly home on January 29, 2014 after a valiant battle with a long illness. His devotion to his family and his firm belief in God supported him in his struggle and ultimately gave him peace.
Charlie was born to the late Charles and Ellen Drake, a Methodist pastor and a homemaker respectively, in Austin, TX on March 2, 1948. He was immersed in the Christian community that would be his lifelong support from an early age. He was an acolyte for his father as an adolescent and taught youth group to students as an adult. He graduated from the University of Texas in 1970 with a degree in mathematics and accepted a position as a high school math teacher in Dallas, where he would teach for 38 years.
Charlie was blessed with a large and loving family. He married his best friend and fellow parishioner, Madeline Jessica Creighton, on August 15, 1976 in Dallas, TX. Charlie helped raise his five children with patience, discipline and humility. He taught them to read, write and solve complex equations, and often took them on long family trips to see the natural beauty of every state in the South and Midwest. From the very beginning, he dedicated his children to God and encouraged them to explore the beauty of the gospels, leading his eldest son, Mark, to become a pastor.
Charlie was an educator at heart. He was kind and soft-spoken, and always had time to answer a question or solve a problem, no matter how small. He is dearly missed by his loved ones, who celebrate the fact that he is at peace with his creator.
Charlie is survived by his wife, Madeline; his sons Mark, Tim and Derrick Drake; his daughters Jeanne Hooper and Nancy Hale; his grandchildren Kate Drake, Lucy Drake, John Drake, Lily Hale and Chris Hooper; and his brother, Larry Drake. He is preceded in death by his sister, Molly Clay; his parents; and his granddaughter, Leah Hooper.
Charlie will be buried at the Holy Lord Cemetery at 3:30 p.m. on February 7, with a reception to follow at the First United Methodist Church. Reverend James Clark will officiate the service. The family gratefully declines flowers and donations, but prayers, condolences and memories are gladly accepted at www.charlesdrakememorial.net.
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