Johnny Lee Drake Sr., 57

Born: June 7, 1955

Died: Feb. 4, 2013

Johnny Lee Drake Sr., 57, of Dowagiac, formerly of Benton Harbor, passed away on Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, at Borgess Pipp Hospital in Plainwell after a battle with cancer.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, 1105 E. Main St., Benton Harbor, with the Rev. Emery M. Varrie I officiating.

Visitation will occur one hour prior to the service at the church.  Burial will follow at Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor. Services are entrusted to Yazel and Clark Chapel.

Memorials may be made to the family or to the National Cancer Society. Those wishing to sign Johnny’s online memory book may do so at www.yazel-clark.com.

Johnny was born June 7, 1955, in Wyona, Miss., to Jessie Sr. and Anna (MacDory) Drake.

He worked for the South Western Community Action Agency.

On Jan. 24, 1981, he married Patricia (Lee) Drake, who survives.

Johnny enjoyed playing pool and spending time with his family and friends.

He is survived by: his wife, Patricia; his children, Ardis Lee of Muskegon, Anton (Amanda) Lee, of Muskegon, Tiffany (Rodney) Mitchell, of Benton Harbor, Johnny Jr. (Breanna) Drake of Goshen, Ind., Shywayn (LaDonna) Drake, of Dowagiac, Miracle Drake, of Dowagiac, and Cierra Drake, of Dowagiac; 17grandchildren; one great-grandchild; his siblings, William Drake, Edward Drake, Minerva Lassie, Dorothy Ferguson, Catherine Cramt, Diane (Raymond) Walker and Jannett Byrd; numerous nieces and nephews; and many other family members.

Johnny is preceded in death by his parents, Jessie Sr. and Anna Drake; his brothers, Charles Sonny Drake, Charmin Drake, David Drake, Jimmydee Drake, Jessie Drake Jr., Arthur Burkhead and Calvin Burkhead.