Ruth Drake

Ruth V. Drake, nee Bumpus, 95, of Lake Zurich, IL, previously of Lake Barrington and Arlington Heights, IL, and long time resident of Peoria, IL, died on January 1, 2010. She was the beloved wife for 52 years to the late Donald H. Drake; loving mother of twins David L. (Shirley) Drake of Pekin, IL and Deborah A. (Donald) Stancl Smith of Cary, IL, and Robert (Dorothy) Drake of Dunlap, IL; proud grandmother of Karen (Jeffrey) Panek, James (Kimberly) Stancl, Susan (Zachary) Just, Jason Drake, Matthew (Michele) Drake, Seth (Sarah) Drake, J.T. (Jeny) Frank, Kirsten (Kent) Melum, Gretchen (Christopher) Haas, Jacqueline (Eddie) Aguilar, Jim (Wendy) Smith, and Gregory Smith; loving great-grandmother of Kyle Just, Sarah Just, Matthew Panek, Cailey Stancl, Ryan Stancl, Jack Stancl, Maxwell Drake, Charlie Drake, Clay Drake, Bruno Drake, Ashleigh Frank, Ethan Melum, Chloe Melum, Siena Melum, Gabriel Haas, Theodore Haas, Noemi Haas, Makynzie Aguilar, and Andres Aguilar. She was the daughter of the late Irving L. and Annie P. Bumpus; and sister to the late Hazel M. (Clarence) Turner of West Acton, MA. Mrs. Drake was born and raised in Brockton, MA, where she graduated from Brockton High School with honors. She graduated and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Massachusetts State College (Bridgewater), where she was class president and editor in chief of her yearbook, 1st chair violinist in her orchestra, a member of the Sigma Theta Phi Sorority, and a charter member of the College?s Woman?s Club. She received her Master of Arts degree from Bradley University in Peoria, IL. She was elected and a current member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, member of the National Education Association, life member of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association (IRTA), past president and board member of the Peoria County School Employers Credit Union, member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and Gamma Phi Beta Sorority Mother?s Club and a Charter member of the Peoria Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences. She was an active member of the Peoria First United Methodist Church and its Methodist Women?s Fellowship. She taught 5th grade for 35 years, 23 of which were at White Elementary School in Peoria. She wrote and was a published author of several educational articles, and loved to teach and wanted to improve and develop the maximum capabilities of young people thereby creating a better society in which we live. A memorial visitation will be held from 10:15 a.m. until the time of memorial service at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at the St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral, 3601 N. North St., Peoria, with interment immediately following at Swan Lake Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mrs. Drake?s name may be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure of breast cancer at 1-877-465-6636 or www.komen.org.

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