Laconia-----Arthur F. Drake, 82, of 305 Darby Drive, died at the Lakes Region General Hospital on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
Mr. Drake was born April 19, 1929 in Roosevelt, Long Island, New York, the son of Forrest R. and Luella (Reese) Drake and lived most of his life on Long Island, New York.
Mr. Drake served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War and was employed at Grumman Aerospace on Long Island for forty-three years before retiring in August 1990 to Laconia.
Mr. Drake loved Jazz and Big Band and was a professional drummer and had studied in New York City and until recently had his own band, “The Jazz Swingers”.
Survivors include his wife of twenty-six years, Olivia M. (Davis) Drake, of Laconia; his daughter, Kelly E. Faber, and her husband, Paul, of Orlando, Florida; Olivia’s four children, Judith LaPlante of Apache Junction, Arizona, Donna Blake, Donald Blake and Steven Blake, all of Laconia; four grandchildren, Jonathan Faber, Samantha Faber, Ashley Prescott and Eric Prescott; a brother, Raymond J. Drake, and his wife, Anita, of North Carolina, his special sister-in-law, Elsie Noyes, of Belmont, N.H. and several nieces and nephews. Arthur also leaves his two precious cats, Scooter and Kleo. In addition to his parents, Mr. Drake was predeceased by a brother, Richard R. Drake, and by a sister, Audrey Jane May.
There will be no calling hours.
A Funeral Service, with military honors, will be held on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 11:00AM at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Highway Rte 3, Boscawen, N.H.
For those who wish, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the New Hampshire Humane Society, PO Box 572, Laconia, NH 03247
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.