John D. Drake

Columbiana - September 23, 2008 - John D. Drake, 70, of 350 Firestone Avenue, formerly of East Palestine, died Tuesday morning at his home following a long illness.

Mr. Drake was born May 23, 1938 in Pittsburgh, PA, a son of the late Stanley and Elizabeth Slosky Drake and had lived in Columbiana the past five years, coming from East Palestine where he had lived for 35 years.

He had been employed as a conductor for first the Pennsylvania Railroad and in later years, Penn Central, Conrail, and Amtrak, retiring in 1994.

John was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church, East Palestine, East Palestine Lodge #417 F. & A.M., East Palestine Chapter #204, and East Palestine Council #123. He was also a member of East Palestine Chapter #381 Order of the Eastern Star, ESMA, and was a Past Watchman of Shepherds of Ruth Shrine #64 of Poland. He was a member of the UTU Retiree's #1418 and NARVE Unit 151.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Kenmore B. Drake in 1988 and a brother, Francis Drake.

He is survived by his wife, the former Roberta M. Snyder Heimlich; three daughters, Lenora Lee of Poulsbo, Washington, Kathleen Berternorer of Florida, and Patricia Drake of Charleroi, PA; a son, John David Drake of Monessen, PA; a step daughter, Joanne Heimlich Bosh of Galion; three step grandchildren and two step great grandsons.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday at the Van Dyke-Swaney-Rettig Funeral Home, East Palestine with the Reverend Donald Pentz officiating. Burial will follow in Glenview Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 3-7 p.m. on Thursday where East Palestine Lodge #417 will conduct Masonic Services at 7 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Grace Lutheran Church, 439 N Walnut St, East Palestine, OH 44413, the Kenmore B. Drake Scholarship Fund, at Youngstown State University, Office of University Development, One University Plaza, Youngstown OH 44555 or the Columbiana EMS, 28 S. Vine Street, Columbiana, OH 44408.