Elaine Drake

On Sunday, July 30, 2023, Elaine Evelyn Drake, Bismarck, North Dakota, formerly of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, passed away surrounded by family at the age of 90.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:30 PM, Sunday, August 13, 2023, in the Community Center at Forest Hills Golf & RV Resort, 22931 185th St, Detroit Lakes, MN, 56501.

Elaine was born on May 6, 1933, in Detroit Lakes, to Conrad “Connie” and Evlyn (Engum) Kershner. 

As a young girl she worked alongside her dad at “Connie’s Market” a grocery and meat market owned by her father, often standing on an orange crate to help her reach the counter.  This would give her the start of a great head for business that would carry her through the rest of her life and one that she could pass on to her children and grandchildren.   She loved ice skating and since she lived across from the skating rink, she would spend all her free time skating.  Later, she would be asked to skate with the “Ice Follies” in Minneapolis.    

Elaine would meet the love of her life, Allen Drake, in the 9^th grade and from that day forward, they were inseparable.  She graduated from Detroit Lakes High School in 1951.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1954, Allen came home on leave, having been stationed in Tokyo, Japan, during the Korean Conflict and proposed.  They were married on December 7, 1954, and were blessed with three children.  They raised their family in Detroit Lakes and owned several businesses: Elaine’s Sandwich Hut, South Shores Resort, DLTV & Appliance and Voltage Video.  Elaine also worked as a realtor for many years. 

Elaine was active in the community and enjoyed her time as secretary of the Sno-Fari Club, as well as racing snowmobiles, attending field trials with their dog, “Beau” and fishing!  If the walleyes were biting, she and Al were out on Big Detroit Lake or at their cabin on Lake Pipette in Ontario fishing.  They loved to travel and visited many places, such as Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Central America, South America, Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Canada and Mexico, just to name a few.  Out of all the places they visited, her favorite was Machu Pichu in Peru.  After they retired, they spent their winters in Rockport, TX and summers in Detroit Lakes at Forest Hills RV Resort.   She loved to sew, bake and play cards with her many friends at Forest Hills and was extremely surprised by the turnout for her 90^th birthday party in May.

Elaine had many friends who called her “Lainie”.  She loved life, and she loved her family and friends.   For those she loved her loyalty to them was beyond measure.  She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and will be remembered for the beautiful, highly detailed Christmas socks she made for each one. 

Elaine is survived by her daughter, Dee (Duane) Stanley, Bismarck; sons, Dana Drake, Klamath Falls, OR, and Danil Drake, Rockport, TX; and 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen; her parents, Connie & Evlyn; and her brothers, Dan and David.