Evelyn Spears Drake

Graveside services for Evelyn will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May 23, 2015 at Gann Cemetery in Lufkin, Texas under the direction of Gipson Funeral Home.

Evelyn was born April 20, 1914 to the late John Wylie and Minnie Pearl (Key) Spears. Evelyn grew up in Lufkin, Texas and then moved for a short period to Snyder, Texas, where she met and married William Allen Drake on February 1, 1936 in Big Springs, Texas. They were blessed with two children, a daughter, Doris Drake Davis and a son, Robert Allen Drake. They then moved back to Lufkin, where they would raise their children. Evelyn was a devoted Mother who loved to sew, gardening, cooking, canning and playing dominoes, of which she was very good at beating her opponents.

Evelyn spent the last seven years at Autumn Leaves in Henderson, Texas to be near her son, Bob and his wife, Nancy, so they could care for her. She was fondly known at Autumn Leaves as “Grandma” Drake. She will be remembered for her great sense of humor, funny stories and her competitiveness.

She is survived by daughter, Doris Davis of Arlington, Texas; daughter-in-law, Nancy Craig Drake of Henderson, Texas; and her loving sister, Doris Spears Bell of Lufkin, Texas. Also left to cherish her memory are her grandsons, Scott Davis, Greg Davis, both of Arlington, Texas and Robert Craig Drake of Mansfield, Texas; five great-grandchildren, Troy Davis, Samantha Keller, Taylor Drake, Chandler Drake and Austin Drake; many nieces and nephews and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William, who passed away in 1977; son, Robert “Bob” Drake, who passed away in 2014, her siblings, Roy Spears, Edna Spears Connor, J. W. Spears, Don Spears, Helon Spears Flora, Millard Spears and son-in-law, Joe D. Davis.

Pallbearers will be Scott Davis, Craig Drake, Jimmy Hendricks and Larry Williams.

The family is very thankful for the love, care and support given to her by the staff at Autumn Leaves.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of your choice in her memory.

As Dr. Bob Parrot so eloquently expressed, “Like the many lives she has seen born into this world, we have witnessed the birth of a new life into her eternal home. She now lives in the heaven she brought to those around her here on earth”.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.