IRIS DRAKE

CANALOU -- Iris Drake, 71, of Canalou died Saturday, Aug. 22, 1998, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.

She was born July 9, 1927, at Algoa, Ark., daughter of Conliff and Ruby Lucy Blankinship. She and Grover D. Drake were married on Oct. 4, 1946, at Lilbourn. He died Aug. 10, 1995.

She lived most of her life around Canalou, then moved back to Canalou from Kokomo, Ind., in 1982. She retired as a postal clerk after 33 years of service at Canalou and Kokomo.

She was a member of Canalou Baptist Church. She was also a member of Morley Chapter 342 Order of the Eastern Star, the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary -- Ken Sisler Chapter 47 at Dexter and the Retired Federal Employees.

Survivors include a son, Larry Drake of Canalou; three daughters, Gladys Drake and Gloria Chaney, both of Canalou and Rebecca Stafford of Santa Fe, N.M.; five brothers, Calvin Blankinship of Monett, David Blankinship of New Madrid, F.A. Blankinship of Plant City, Fla., Walter Blankinship of Raytown and Connie White of Zalma; four sisters, Betty Stanton of Mountain Home, Ark., Mary Crouch of Dexter, Bonnie Boutz of Jefferson City and Jessie Baer of Catoosa, Okla.; 14 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Blanchard Funeral Chapel in Sikeston from 5 to 8 p.m. today, with Eastern Star rites at 7:30.

Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the chapel. The Rev. Fred Ritter will officiate, with burial at the Matthews Cemetery.