Margie Neita Drake

Margie Neita Drake was born Feb 8th 1936 in Cope Colorado to Lyle and Nellie Miller she was the oldest of their four children.  Most of Margie’s growing up took place in Cope except for a few years that she lived in Denver with her family while she attended grade school.  Margie moved back to Cope where she finished her grade school and high school years after completing those, she went to La Junta Jr College to start her education to become a teacher.  Her first teaching job came before she finished and received her degree, she taught in Center Colorado and then attended UNC in Greeley where she completed her teaching education and received her degree.   

On July 3, 1964, she married Jerry Dean Drake in Colorado Springs CO in front of a Justice of the Peace.  She told us how they bought some fried chicken and drove up Pikes Peak to watch the races and that was their honeymoon.  To this union two daughters were born Neita Laurnelle Drake and Melissa Deane Drake. 

Margie and her family resided in Burlington Co where she taught elementary school until 1979 when they moved to Medicine Bow Wyoming following close family friends Jerry (Jocko) and Jerry Lynn Steele, where Margie taught for 17 years, she taught a year after Jerry passed and then she didn’t want to be in “The Bow” without him.  Margie and Missy moved to Laramie where she stayed a few years and then moved to Otis Co.  She soon decided she wanted to be with her girls and her most favorite person at the time Andrew so she could follow his sporting events and be with him while the girls worked in Steamboat Springs and lived in Craig. 

Margie always wanted more grandchildren, and she would tell people later God had a sense of humor as the boys Dave and Joel came to our family in 2010 and Heidi in 2011 and our adoption was final in May 2013, she got three new grandkids almost all at once.  She had a unique relationship with each one of them, she was also the Grandma on the other side to Andy’s cousins Chance, Gage and Hope Hall.  (family inside joke).  So her list of favorite people grew and the last one to be added great granddaughter Caroline and a soon to be new grandson/granddaughter she was so excited to meet.

Margie loved to visit and if you sat down beside her whether she knew you or not she would visit, if she did know you, she just kept you longer.  She loved playing cards, games, doing crosswords and puzzle books, she loved to crochet and embroidery.  But her passion was sports she enjoyed attending all ages from the little kids to jr high, high school, college and professional sports and loved to watch them play all sports. 

In December 2020 Margie and her family relocated to Chapman KS even though there a short time she absolutely loved it and felt like she was home.

Margie is preceded in by her parents Lyle and Nellie (Wilhelm) Miller, her husband Jerry Dean Drake, her brother John Miller, brother and best friend George Miller, Beloved Uncle Russ, nephew Sean Miller and Grandson Gage Hall. 

She is survived by Daughters Neita Drake and Missy Drake of Chapman Kansas, Grandchildren Andrew Drake (Danika) of Lyons Kansas, Dave, Joel and Heidi Drake and Great Granddaughter Caroline Drake.  Best Friend and Sister in Law Diane Miller, Brother Bruce Miller and many nieces and nephews, a host of family and friends and one of her most loved groups of people her students.

Margie left her earthly body in Abilene Kansas on June 8th, 2021.  Her arrangements are being handled by Baucke Funeral Home of Yuma and Services will be June 18th in Cope Colorado at 2 pm at the Cope Community Church, burial at Cope Cemetery.  There will be a luncheon hosted after for all that would like to stay and reminisce. 

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