Lawrence Paul Drake

1942 - 2025

Lawrence (Lawry, Larry) Paul Drake, 82, of Houston, Texas, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on July 31, 2025 after a courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease.

Born in San Francisco, California, and having spent most of his life in Napa, Lawry dedicated his life to service-both professionally and personally. A Napa High School graduate, he earned Associate's Degrees in Arts and Nursing from Napa Community College, laying the foundation for a long and meaningful career in healthcare. He worked as a registered nurse and unit supervisor in state hospital systems, serving in both Napa, California, and Madison, Indiana, and was Director of Nurses at Crestwood Behavioral Health in Angwin, CA for a time. In his career, his compassion and leadership touched the lives of many.

Outside of his profession, Lawry was deeply involved in his community. He spent many years coaching swimming, mentoring young athletes with patience and encouragement. As a coach, he was much loved and respected. Lawry was also an avid runner, completing several marathons-a testament to his discipline and determination. He found great joy in planning, designing, and building-including spending several years constructing a home for his family while living in southern Indiana. He also enjoyed gardening and took pride in hands-on projects that reflected his creativity and care.

Above all, Lawry was a devoted family man. He prioritized family in all things, often spending weekends at swim meets, track meets, cross-country races, choir competitions, or any event where his children or grandchildren were participating. His steady support and quiet pride were a constant source of encouragement. "Grandpa Lawry" was always up for silly fun with the grandkids and predictably delivered world-class "Dad Jokes."

Lawry is survived by his beloved wife, Rebecca Drake; his children, Paul Drake (Laura), Robert Dilansa (Jodie), and Susie Roethgen (Tim); and his stepchildren, Danielle Parrish (Reuben) and James Nelson (Katie). He leaves behind nine grandchildren: Evan, Emily, Sam, Zoe, Sadie, Kiva, Rhys, Ethan, and Austin. He is survived by three siblings: Paula Bertaud, Teri Drake, and John Drake.

He was preceded in death by his father, Paul Drake; his mother, Mary Drake; his brother, Robert Drake; and his sister, Mary Alice Drake.

A memorial service will be held in his honor on October 11, 2025, at 2:00 PM at Crosswalk Community Church in Napa, California. All who knew and loved Lawry are welcome to attend and celebrate his life. Please contact Lawry's son, Paul Drake, at drakesfour@mac.com or 707-318-7316 by September 26 if you plan to attend.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to the Parkinson's Foundation at parkinson.org, in memory of Lawry. Lawrence Paul Drake