Maxine Drake

COOKEVILLE CHAPEL - Maxine Elinor Drake, 93, passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2026, in Cookeville at her home at Heritage Pointe Senior Living. She had spent her final weeks surrounded by the many people who loved her. Although she was very weak during her final days, she maintained her feisty nature and brought smiles and laughs at the most unexpected moments. Her granddaughter, Laura Beth, came from Colorado to tenderly care for her beloved Mimi during her final three weeks.

Maxine was born on Tuesday, April 25, 1933, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to the late Herman F. Draack and Elinor Emily Bertha Kramer Draack. She lived in Kenosha until the summer of 1952 when she took an internship at the FBI in Washington, D.C. It was that summer that she met the love of her life, James, who she called Jim. She and Jim were married in D.C. on October 25, 1952, and were married for 72.5 years until his death on April 20, 2025.

Born and raised as a Lutheran, she was christened and confirmed in Kenosha. After she and Jim were married, they moved to Cookeville and she was one of the first to be baptized at the brand new Collegeside Church of Christ. In fact, Maxine and Jim were at the first service held there. Collegeside was her final church home.

Maxine was a devoted wife to Jim and enthusiastically moved with him from place to place as his career grew. Maxine and Jim had three children born in three different states. It was Maxine’s happy and fun nature that made those moves easy for Jim and their children and she maintained lifelong friendships with the people she met in each location. Her motto was, “make new friends, but keep the old.”

Moving around as they did, it was their desire to retire to Jim’s hometown, Cookeville, which they did in 1983. They spent many happy years traveling. Their favorite trips were cruises to Alaska and around the Mediterranean Sea. They spent many winters in their fifth-wheel RV in both South Padre Island, Texas, and Umatilla, Florida.

Maxine was an inspiration to everyone she met. Most said they felt like they had always known her. She loved and met people where they were. She collected friends of all ages, and although many have preceded her in death, many survive. All were changed by knowing her.

She is survived by her children, James Anderson Drake, Jr., Barbara (Dan) Fenlon, and daughter-in-law Janet Drake.

Known as Mimi, she is also survived by her grandchildren, Amanda (Ian) Lomas, Andy (Tulanè) Drake, Laura Beth Drake, Hannah (Luke) McKee, Leah (Christian) Shrader, and Drake (Lilly) Fenlon; and by her great-grandchildren, London Lomas, Paisley Lomas, Davy McKee, Beau Shrader, Charlie McKee, Harper James Shrader, and Amèlie Drake.

She is also survived by her late sister’s children with whom she had a special bond: her Godchild, Gene Wilberg and his wife Robyn, Janice Baer, and Gary Wilberg; along with a special great niece, Emily Maglietto, who named her daughter Maxine Elinor in Maxine’s honor.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Jim, and their beloved son, Gilbert Allen Drake, and her siblings, Gilbert Draack and Marilyn Wilberg.

A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Monday, May 11 at Collegeside Church of Christ. Visitation with family and friends will be on Monday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The family would like to thank the loving staff, nurses, and caregivers at Heritage Pointe Senior Living and Gentiva Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you donate to the Gilbert Drake Memorial Scholarship Fund at Goodpasture Christian School. Checks may be mailed to Goodpasture Christian School, Gil Drake Fund, 619 W. Due West Avenue, Madison, TN 37115; or online at https://bit.ly/GCSInMemory-HonorOf (please mention in memory of Maxine Drake).

Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (931)526-6111. Share your thoughts and memories at www.hhhfunerals.com.