Marian Eloise Drake

1929 - 2025

Marian Eloise Drake

April 16, 1929 - September 22, 2025

Marian Eloise Drake was born on April 16, 1929, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Jacob and Ellen (Little) Rohrig. She attended Yankee Hill School in Lincoln and graduated from Lincoln High School with the Class of 1948.

On December 10, 1950, Marian was united in marriage to Donald Drake at the Episcopal Church in Shenandoah, Iowa. They were blessed with three children: Stephen, Eloise, and Debra.

Throughout her life, Marian worked in a variety of places including the Credit Bureau in Lincoln, J.C. Penney in Shenandoah, Russell Stover Candies in Lincoln, Central Surveys in Shenandoah, Montgomery Ward in Shenandoah, as well as serving as a cashier at Alco, Pamida, and Pronto in Denison.

Marian had many hobbies and enjoyed quilting with her church group, sewing, crocheting, counted cross-stitch, playing cards, playing dominos with friends, reading, tending to her flowers, and, most of all, spending time with her family and friends.

Marian passed away at Gracewell on Monday, September 22, 2025, at the age of 96 years, 5 months, and 6 days. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers-in-law, Jerome Wise and Ewald Bockman.

She is survived by her children, Stephen (Linda Kay) Drake of Bonney Lake, Wash., Eloise Drake of Bellevue, Neb., and Debra (Greg) Brown of Dow City, Iowa; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; sisters, Lois Bockman of Lincoln, Neb., and Sharron Wise of Estes Park, Colo.; along with extended family members and friends.

Funeral services will be held Friday, September 26, 2025, at 2 p.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church in Manilla, Iowa. Visitation with family greeting friends will be held from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., also on Friday, at the church. Burial will follow at Nishnabotna Cemetery outside of Manilla. Memorials may be directed to the Trinity Lutheran Flower Gardens or to the Trinity Lutheran Priscilla Guild. Services are entrusted to the Huebner Funeral Home in Denison, Iowa.