Wayne F. Drake

Wayne F. Drake, age 79, died Sunday, June 23, 2024, at his home in Beaver Dam.

A visitation will be held at Trinity Church – United Methodist in Beaver Dam on Thursday, June 27, 2024, from 10 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. Funeral services will follow at church beginning at 11:00 a.m. Rev. Eric Taylor will officiate. Interment will take place at Highland Memory Gardens in the Town of Trenton.

Wayne Francis Drake was born on October 25, 1944, in Shawano, Wisconsin to Mathew and Margaret (Yellish) Drake. He graduated from Shawano High School in 1962. On October 9, 1971, Wayne was united in marriage with Beverly A. Bender at Zion United Methodist Church in Beaver Dam. They enjoyed trips to different casinos through the years. She preceded him in death in 2017.

Wayne worked at Monarch Range and later at Kirsh Foundry in Beaver Dam; he also worked at Piggly Wiggly in Beaver Dam, retiring when the store was sold. In his spare time, Wayne enjoyed painting ceramics and other knickknacks for his friends. He was a regular for coffee with the guys at Sunview and McDonalds. Wayne also enjoyed the many places he visited with his buddy, Jan, like Lambeau Field and Cave of the Mounds. He was a member of Trinity Church-United Methodist in Beaver Dam.

Survivors include his “daughter”, Gloria (Don Kruse) Weier-Linke of Beaver Dam; his buddy, Jan Jaehnke of Beaver Dam; his special feline friend, Kitty; other relatives and many good friends. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; his infant son, Wayne Matthew Drake; and two brothers, Theodore Drake and Ronald Drake.

The tears shed today are in want of the unmade memories of tomorrow.