Services for Deriece Ann Darnell-Drake, 66, Lawrence, will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.
Deriece died Tuesday February 17th, 2015 at Midland Hospice House in Topeka, Kansas.
She was born on March 8th, 1948 in Kansas City, Kansas, the daughter of Claude Jack and Jenice Darnell. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Addiction Studies from Park University in 1994. She was near completion of her Masters Degree in Counseling when she became ill in 2014.
Deriece worked as a Key Punch Operator for Bell Electronics then later as a Direct Service Worker and Counselor and owned a substance testing facility in Gunnison Colorado with her husband Richard Drake.
She married Richard Drake on September 5, 1996 in Lawrence, Kansas. Other survivors include two sons Kyle Numbers, Las Vegas, Nevada and Lance Williams, Ozawkie, Kansas, two daughters, Sonya Robinson, Lawrence, Kansas and Carrie Williams-Kreckman, Altengan, Germany. She has a sister and brother in law Jeanie and Pat Peterson of Lake Tahoe, California, a step-daughter and son in law Jane and Chris Boyer of Covington, Louisiana and four grandchildren, Kelsey and Kayla Ledbetter, Mikayla Boyer, Cody Williams, and Taylor Williams.
The family suggests donations in lieu of flowers to Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home to help pay for expenses.
My condolences, I am sorry for your loss.
Laura Mullin-Rogers
I worked with Deriece at KcAL many years ago. Her kindness and caring was above and beyond. I’m very sorry for your loss. Sincerely,
To Dick, Sonya, Kayla–and all the family:
We’re sorry for the loss of Deriece from your lives, and from our neighborhood. I was amazed by her courage and love of life. I am glad to have known her, and have good memories.
Please call on us to help as we can, and know we hold you with tenderness in these days.
John and Kimberli