Harriett Rogers Drake

1942 - 2016

DRAKE, S.C. – Harriett Rogers Drake, 73, passed away on Feb. 4, 2016.

Mrs. Drake was born in Bennettsville, South Carolina on July 30,1942 and was the daughter of Fredrick Alexander Rogers, Jr. and Dorothy Calhoun Wilson Rogers. She spent her early years in Bennettsville, her initial teenage years in Hartsville, and her later teenage years in Laurinburg, where she graduated from high school.

Mrs. Drake made her debut at the Assembly in Columbia. She attended St. Mary's Junior College and the University of North Carolina and earned her master's degree in Early Childhood Education at Francis Marion College. She was passionately devoted to the education of children and invested 30 years as an early childhood teacher in Marlboro County and spent eight years as a teacher at Byrnes Academy in Florence. Mrs. Drake had ample opportunity to use her advanced skills as an early childhood educator with the members of her immediate family who benefited greatly from her wisdom, courage, intelligence, wit, kindness, faith and love — of laughter, family, Jesus, baking, coffee, flowers and the beach.

Mrs. Drake was a devoted member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Bennettsville, and served in various leadership and support roles over the years. In the course of her teaching career, Mrs. Drake received the Teacher of the Year Award and many accolades for outstanding educational achievement.

Mrs. Drake was calm by nature, but steadfast in her beliefs, devotion, thoughtfulness, grace and ability to inspire others to do great things. She had a mischievous streak beneath her elegant exterior that allowed her life to be fully lived and provided a precious legacy of laughter, focus and the ability to carry on for her family and friends.

Mrs. Drake is survived by her mother, her brother Frederick Alexander Rogers, III her sister Judith Rogers Gibson (Frank), her children Hamilton Rogers Drake II (Nancy) and Julie Drake McCue (Joey), her grandchildren Julian Wilds Drake, Bailey Christian Drake, Jordan Bliss Drake, Diedreich Peterman von Lehe, Christian Rivers von Lehe, Ellerslie Sims McCue and Julian Knox McCue, and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Julian Moyd Drake and by her father. The family acknowledges its gratitude to longtime family friend Otis Jenkins.

The funeral services will be held at the Drake-Dudley Cemetery in Blenheim on Saturday at 2 p.m. The family will receive friends immediately following the services at the family residence located at 544 Ellerslie Lane, Blenheim, SC. The Burroughs Cooper Kaiser Funeral Home will handle the funeral arrangements.

Mrs. Drake requested memorials be made to St. Paul's Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 587, Bennettsville, SC 29512.