Ronald Keith Drake

Our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Ronald Keith Drake, joined our family members and friends on the other side of the veil on Thursday, October 13, 2022. Greeting him joyously in that reunion were his parents, Gordon Sylvester Drake and Lettie Emily Allgood Drake, his childhood roommate Grandpa June, his brother- and sister-in-law Weston Dahl and Joyce Drake and his favorite cousin Mike Olsen.

Ron was born on November 25, 1941 to Gordon and Emily Drake. He grew up as the middle child on his family’s farm that was established in 1880 in West Jordan, Utah. He had one older brother, Gene (Sharon) Drake, one older sister, Marilyn Dahl and two younger sisters Linda (Larry) Crandall and Tamara (George) Gooch. Gordon and Emily raised their children in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, like their ancestors for several generations before.

Growing up on the farm, Ron was very involved in 4-H Club. He graduated from Bingham High School in 1960. He then attended Utah State University in Logan where he was in the USU Institute choir and served as Independent Senator in the Student Council. In 1961 and ‘62, he served as a missionary in the Great Lakes Mission. Upon his return home, he resumed his studies at USU, graduating with a BS degree in Welding Engineering in 1967.
He met his wife, Jeanette Rollins Hurst, as a result of their shared 4-H experiences. They dated for a few years before he proposed to her on the lawn of the Logan Temple. They married on December 29, 1967 in the Salt Lake Temple.

In 1975, Ron built the house on the family farm where they have lived the past 47 years, raising eight children: David (Heather) Drake, Anne (Nile) Easton, Daniel (Kim) Drake, Jane (Gary) Lancaster; Richard Drake (Kris); Matthew (Annie) Drake; Margaret Caywood; and Elizabeth (Robert) Brooks.

A stalwart member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with a powerful testimony who loved and served all around him, Ron served in many callings, including counselor in the Stake Presidency of the West Jordan East Stake and Bishop of the West Jordan 4th Ward.

Ron was a man of many trades, from welding to transmission mechanic to real estate to insurance and other types of sales. He owned farms in Albion, Idaho and Corinne, Utah with Gene and Weston. He most enjoyed being an entrepreneur and ran many businesses over the years before settling in to run Drake Family Farms with Jeanette and his son Dan for the past 22 years. He enjoyed transporting goats to the goat farm in California. If his vehicle wasn’t running well at the beginning of the trip, it would be by the end, but sometimes that included many hours of sitting by the side of the road, while he fixed the vehicle. He also enjoyed spending time with Jeanette and attending the temple when they stayed in their Las Vegas time-share.

Growing up, our family motto was “Be of good cheer!” and Dad always exemplified that. He was one of the most positive people ever.

His loving wife Jeanette, his eight kids and their spouses, his 25 grandchildren and their spouses and his four great grandchildren would like to thank everyone for their love, support, and many prayers over the past weeks while Ron was in the hospital. In the midst of our sorrow, we have been greatly blessed.

Please join us for Friends and Family Gatherings on Thursday, October 20 from 6-8 PM at Goff Mortuary, 8090 State Street, Midvale and on Friday, October 21 from 9-10:15 AM at the West Jordan East Stake Center, 1899 W 7600 S, West Jordan. Family prayer will be at 10:15 AM with funeral services at 10:30 AM. Dedication of the grave will take place at the Bluffdale Cemetery, 14229 S. Redwood Road, Bluffdale, following the services.

The service will be livestreamed on the Goff Mortuary Facebook Page at the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Funeral-Service---Cemetery/Goff-Mortuary-116988261695382/
(The livestream video will appear when the service starts.)