Dewey T. Rakes

He leaves behind his beautiful wife of 64 years, Barbara Turner Rakes; his sons, David Rakes and his wife Sharon and Gary Rakes and his wife Lisa, his daughter Lisa Bryant and her husband E.J; two brothers, Lonnie Rakes and wife Doris and Rudy Rakes and wife Toni; two sisters, Jean Davis and Brenda Reeves; eight grandchildren Emily Woody, Alison Hostetler, Amanda Smith, Kayla Rakes, Garret Rakes, Jessie Bryant, Zac Bryant, and Leah Rakes; five great grandchildren and many close and dear friends.

Born in Henry County, Virginia on February 10, 1932, the son of the late Dewey Thomas and Francis Earles Rakes, he was a long term resident of Rustburg, Virginia having moved there in 1957.

In his early years, Mr. Rakes enjoyed playing baseball, softball and other outdoor activities. After graduating from Martinsville High School in 1950, he joined the U. S. Navy, where he served as a Quartermaster aboard the USS Pawcatuk obtaining the rank of First Class Petty Officer prior to the end of his enlistment. While on active duty he returned home on leave to Virginia where he married his sweetheart, Barbara, on August 21st 1952 at her home in Collinsville, Virginia.

After his naval enlistment Mr. Rakes graduated from Danville Technical College with a degree in Engineering and soon thereafter started working for General Electric Mobile Communication Division, in a career that spanned almost 40 years. He took immense pride in his work leading the quality control engineering operations of the mobile communication business in Lynchburg, Virginia and Florence, South Carolina but also relished the friends he made during his employment with General Electric and later Ericsson.

Mr. Rakes had a passion for camping and fishing. For years, he along with his wife and children, would camp on the beaches of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and the mountains of Virginia. His great love of fishing and camping was a tradition that was passed down to his children and grandchildren.

An avid supporter of the community in which he lived, Mr. Rakes, coached Dixie Youth Baseball in Rustburg, Virginia, was a longtime member of the Lyn-Dan Heights Ruritan Club, serving in many leadership positions, was active in the Gideon’s association, a board member of the Campbell County Planning Commission, and charter member of Mead Memorial United Methodist Church of Lynchburg, Virginia.

A funeral service will be held at Mead Memorial United Methodist Church at 1:00pm on Monday, December 19, 2016 with Pastor Bob Woodfin and

The Rev. Steve Turner officiating. Interment will follow at Cumby Memorial Cemetery with military honors by the American Legion Post 16.

The family will receive friends from 2:00 to 4:00pm Sunday December 18, 2016 at Whitten Timberlake Chapel.

Those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to consider Mead Memorial United Methodist Church, 13317 Wards Rd., Lynchburg, VA 24502.