Wade Allen Rakes

Wade Allen Rakes was born in 1952 in Roanoke, Virginia, the second of four children born to the late Thomas and Hattie Rakes. The family relocated to Columbia, South Carolina shortly thereafter, which Wade very proudly regarded as his hometown. To be sure, one of his repeated pronouncements was the pride he felt in graduating from historic Booker T. Washington High School.

After brief stints in college, Wade volunteered for the United States Army during the Vietnam War era. He was stationed in Germany. This service proved pivotal as Wade pursued a career in air traffic control following his honorable discharge from the Army. He was formally certified through the intensive training program at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Following graduation, he accepted his first assignment as an Air Traffic Controller in the airport tower in Jackson, Mississippi.

His assignment to Jackson, Mississippi proved serendipitous. It was at the Jackson Airport newsstand that he met Gwendolyn, a Delta Air Lines, Inc. reservations sales agent. The marriage between Wade and Gwen lasted for nearly 44 years.

As one of the FAA’s first Black controllers in the South, Wade was never asked to join the union. As the lone, non-union controller in the Jackson Tower, Wade’s career was not interrupted by the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Association (PACTO) strike in 1981 when the union was decertified. Wade continued his employment with the FAA, including additional assignments in Ft. Worth, Texas and Macon, Georgia’s Flight Service Stations. When the FAA transferred management of the Macon facility to the Lockheed Martin Corporation, Wade retired from the FAA in 2008 with thirty-four years of service and continued to work for three years for Lockheed. In 2011, Wade retired and began the most creative years of his life.

Wade had deep interest in contemporary art, Black culture, Jazz music, sculpture, and family genealogy. These pursuits became a mission for him. Wade’s mother, a retired 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army Nursing Corps during WWII, also had a legacy of genealogical research, quilting and collecting. This led Wade to become intimately involved in quilting, cross stitching, painting, and family research. His handiwork in quilts and wall hangings brought sheer joy to his mother in her later years as he produced keepsakes from some of her remnants and partially completed patterns. Their connection in this arena brought immense happiness to them both as they spent hours collaborating, planning and working.

While living in Duncanville, Texas, Wade served as an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 524 for his son, Wade II. Trips to the Minnesota Boundary Waters and across Texas culminated with both father and son being inducted into the Order of the Arrow, the Boy Scouts honor society.

Wade was committed to civic engagement and made significant contributions to the community as a Henry County elections precinct manager and poll worker for the Pate’s Creek precinct for over 25 years.

In addition to his artwork, retirement allowed Wade to live the joy of being an engaged grandparent. A constant presence in the lives of his grandchildren, Wade was a super fan of the Columbus Academy Vikings, whether quietly listening to the orchestra or cheering on the volleyball, basketball, and football teams. Wade expressed love for his family by always being there. He made every moment with his grandchildren count.

Wade traveled the world for, and with, his family from the Great Wall of China to the Leaning Tower of Pisa to day trips visiting his mother in South Carolina. Times together with family form the patchwork of our memories.

He leaves to mourn his passing, wife, Gwendolyn Rakes; daughter Kathryne Reeves; son, Wade Rakes II; granddaughter, Gwyndolyn Camille Reeves; grandson, Kevin W. Reeves; sons-in-law, Kevin R. Reeves and Nicholas Miller. Brother, Thomas Rakes, III (Cherri); sisters, Janne Rakes Middleton, South Carolina and Eva Rakes Wilson (Roscoe). Brother-in-law, Plummer E. Lott, Jr. (Barbara); uncle, David A. Rakes; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, coworkers and friends.

Flowers appreciated or in lieu of flowers, please consider donations in Wade A Rakes’ memory to:

Benedict College

Office of Institutional Advancement

1600 Harden Street

Columbia, South Carolina 29204

www.Benedict.edu

Morehouse School of Medicine

Rakes Family Scholarship Fund

Office of Institutional Advancement

720 Westview Drive SW

Atlanta, Georgia 30310

https://giving.msm.edu