Donald Robert Drake

Donald Robert Drake “Don”, “Donnie” “Drake”, “Big D”, “Grampy” was led to peace by his family at the age of 87 on March 15th 2026 in his beloved home.

Donald and his wife Marjorie shared a 65-year marriage together. It all started when they got married in the hurricane of 1960! They had four children Robbie, Judy, Suzanne and Carla. They built a house in Walpole, MA and later moved to Sharon where they created a magical oasis filled with stone walls and endless gardens. Over the years the house would hold an endless number of gatherings for family and friends including clambakes, weddings, showers, birthdays, Thanksgivings and Christmas Eve’s. With each wedding, Don and Marge warmly welcomed new members into their growing family, including Lisa, Richie, Kevin, and Peter. In time, they were blessed with grandchildren Brianna, Yvonne, Carl, Courtney, Candice, Angela, Mary, Spencer, and Ella. In more recent years, their family continued to grow with the arrival of great-grandchildren Flora, Piper, Theo, Charlette, Collins, Lydia, Lola, and Magnolia.

Don worked for over 20 years at Pilgrim Instrument but loved reminiscing about his days as a florist at Gallo’s in Walpole. He spoke of living in Walpole, living in Maine with his parents, sisters Joan and Lorraine and little brother Richard. He loved telling stories of shenanigans at UMASS, his job at a cemetery, and the many travel stories he had from his trips around the world with Marge. Don could build anything, gave amazing hugs and enjoyed seeing his many friends. Everyone who met him loved him.

Above all else, Don’s love for his Margie was a love story like no other. Home from college and driving through Walpole, he saw a young woman walking down main street and stopped to meet her. His love for her was constant. The home Don built with his own hands saw him through to his final days. Don and Marge’s love for one another will echo through the ages.

Don has been reunited with his parents, Dick and Dot, sister Lorraine, brother “Joe”, and his daughter Suzanne who will greet him by picking him up in a jeep and taking him to the hardware store while eating spearmint gumdrops

To remember Don hold on a little longer when bear hugging the ones you love, appreciate a stone wall, have a root beer float, work in the yard, go hiking, go for a canoe ride, listen to Kenny Rogers, mix up some cement, build something, take a walk on the beach, have some quahogs or go skinny dipping.

Don’s relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend visiting hours to share memories of him and celebrate his life on Tuesday, March 24th, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole.

Service and burial will take place privately with Don’s wife, children and grandchildren.

Memorial donations in Don's name may be made to either the Sharon Garden Club, c/o Liz S. at 13 Harold Street, Sharon, MA 02067or the First Congregational Church of Sharon at 29 North Main Street Sharon, MA 02067 or by visiting https://www.fccofsharon.org/home/donate