Bradford Drake

Obituary of Bradford DrakeObituary ofBradford Winslow Drake, IIIDrake III, Bradford Winslow, 91, died January 5th, 2014 in Ocala FL.Mr. Drake was born on May 20, 1922 in Stoughton, MA to Bradford W. Drake, Jr. and Gertrude E. Drake (Elmes) of Stoughton. He was educated in the Stoughton public schools, Mt. Herman Prep School (Northfield, MA), and graduated with a BA from Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME).Mr. Drake had a distinguished military record in World War II. He was a bomber pilot in Europe during the height of the war and was promoted to the rank of Captain while serving in the US Air Force Reserves.He married Olive J. Fountain in St. Louis, MO in 1950 and together lived in both Stoughton and East Bridgewater, Massachusetts with three children.He was the manager and owner of the B. W. Drake Leather Company of Brockton, MA until 1969. He then became the branch manager of the East Bridgewater Savings Bank. In 1972 he and his family moved to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. For two years he worked as an Engineer Tech with the Florida Department of Transportation before transferring to the Department of Human Resource Services where he served as a Personnel Tech until his retirement in 1987.In 1990 he and his wife moved to Ocala, FL where their older son (Larry), a contractor, built for them a lovely home. He was an avid sportsman who enjoyed tennis, track and basketball in prep school and participated in a variety of inter-fraternity sports while in college. He loved golfing, a sport he enjoyed for more than 70 years. He was an ardent Red Sox and Celtics fan and later in life closely followed the Miami Dolphins and Florida Gator football and basketball. He also enjoyed family activities, hiking, birding, traveling and yard work.A devote Christian, Mr. Drake was actively involved in several churches in New England and Florida. After moving to Ocala, he and Olive became members of Grace Presbyterian Church where he sang in the choir and ushered for many years. Surviving family members are his loving wife of 63 years, Olive J. Drake, daughter, Linda J. Vice and her husband Frank of Springfield, MO, son, Larry C. Drake and his wife Debbie of Ocala, FL and son, George B. Drake and his wife Diane of Albuquerque, NM. Mr. Drake had eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted at Mr. Drake's favorite charity that provides education to underprivileged children of northern Mexico. El Rancho Del Rey, P.O. Box 4724, Olathe, KS 66063-4724. www.elranchodelrey.org

Bradford Drake

May 20, 1922 - January 5, 2014