Lewis Albert “Babe” Drake, 94

MINERAL RIDGE – Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Lane Funeral Home, Mineral Ridge Chapel for Lewis A. Drake, 94, who passed away Saturday morning in Forum Health Northside Medical Center.
Lewis, also known as “Babe,” was born Sept. 24, 1912 in Mineral Ridge, the son of Lewis Allen and Mary (Ohl) Drake, and was a lifelong area resident.
He retired as a truck driver from Warren Sanitary, which was originally the Riverside Dairy, in 1977. Prior to that ,he had worked for his father at the Drake and McConnell Grist Mill from 1927 until the late 1930s, and then for the W.A. Harshman Trucking Co. starting in 1937. He is believed to be the oldest direct descendant of the Ohl Family, founders of the Village of Ohltown. He had been a member of the original Ohltown United Methodist Church, where he was baptized.
His wife, the former Dorothy Anne O’Bryant, whom he married Jan. 4, 1937, passed away Feb. 25, 1992.
Lewis leaves four children, Lewis Albert Jr. (Joyce) of New Jersey, Douglas Allen (Leilani) of Boardman, Peggy (Philip) Smida of Canfield, and Cynthia (Jeff) Snoke of Poland; nine grandchildren, Lewis Albert III, and Shari Drake, Heather (Dave) Celona, Douglas Jr., Danielle, and Jonathan Drake, Philip Smida II, Anthony, Nicholas, and Julianne Dota; and two great-grandchildren, Nicholas, and Matthew Celona.
Besides his wife, Lewis was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Amy Smida; three brothers, Wilbur, Walter, and James Drake; and two sisters, Mary Pugh and Josephine Drake.
Family and friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and again from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Lane Funeral Home, Mineral Ridge Chapel.
Friends and family may visit lanefuneralhomes.com to view the obituary and send condolences.