Gerald Ward Drake

Gerald “Gerry” Ward Drake passed away peacefully at his home in Las Cruces, New Mexico surrounded by the love of his family. Gerry had a stretch of health troubles that he encountered the same way he met most things in life—steady, quiet, and without complaint. He was an eternal optimist. In fact, he was asking to check the New Mexico Game & Fish website just a few hours before he passed to see if he’d drawn an elk tag for this Fall’s hunting season.

Gerry was born August 22, 1940, in Clovis, New Mexico, to Ward A. Drake and Margaret L. (Reed) Drake. He grew up in Fort Sumner with his older brother, Raymond. The Drakes and Reeds were pioneer families; farmers and ranchers who crossed the Cumberland Gap in the early 1800s and bootstrapped their way to Missouri and finally to the eastern plains of New Mexico.

Gerry took that frontier grit, discipline, quiet confidence and neighborly character and it stayed with him for the rest of his days; always ready to help someone in need.

Drake attended New Mexico State University from 1959 to 1965 on a multi-sport athletic scholarship, competing in basketball, baseball, and track and field. After his playing career, he spent a season as a graduate assistant coach under legendary coach Lou Henson. That experience helped set his course for life. He remained a lifelong loyal supporter of Aggie athletics.

After college, Gerry became a well-known and highly respected fast-pitch softball pitcher, competing across the Southwest and internationally. Whether on a ball field or in everyday life, he brought the same calm competitiveness and steady perseverance people trusted.

Gerry later worked as a skilled pipefitter and was an active member of UA Local 412 for many years before turning fully toward education. Mr. Drake devoted 36 years to serving as a coach, history teacher, and administrator in Fort Sumner, Bayard, Hatch, and Las Cruces. He believed in showing up for young people—not just during class or practice, but if a team was playing three towns over on a cold night, chances were pretty good that Gerry’s pickup would be in the parking lot.

Family and friends stood at the center of his life. Gerry was the kind of man who would help at the drop of a hat without being asked. He could also cut a rug with the best of them - two stepping or waltzing his best gal, Marisa, around the dance floor. Being an impressive gourmet, known far and wide for his delicious pico de gallo and homemade salsas, Gerry’s love for green chile required a dedicated freezer filled year round with an assortment of varieties from Mesilla and Hatch Valleys’ top producers.

An avid outdoorsman, he loved hunting and fishing with family and friends. Gerry always drove a pickup and loved driving the range. Some of his favorite moments began with the simple phrase, “Let’s take a drive,” and ended hours later down a dirt road, with whoever was riding shotgun opening gates and watching out for snakes hiding in the shade of fence posts under the wide New Mexico sky. Stories of those trips are still told around kitchen tables and sitting on tailgates.

Gerry was an active member of Crossroads Community Church in Las Cruces, where he quietly lived out his faith through service to others and a lifelong belief in doing what was right without needing recognition for it.

He is survived by his wife, Marisa Drake; sons James Cooper and wife Maureen of Albuquerque, NM, Shane Drake and wife Amanda of Clovis, NM; daughters Kristine Drake of Los Angeles, CA, Jessica Gardner of Burleson, TX, and Stephanie Gilbert and husband Ross of Philadelphia, PA, and nine loving grandchildren. His nephews, dozens of cousins and a passel of friends spread across the country are tied together by stories of Gerry’s kindness and sense of humor.

Services celebrating Gerry’s life are planned for Saturday, May 9th, at12 o’clock high noon at Crossroads Community Church, 2600 Lakeside Road, Las Cruces, New Mexico (Intersection of Avenida de Mesilla and I-10).

Gerry’s legacy rides on in the many lives he helped shape—as a husband, father, grandfather, loyal friend, coach, teacher, mentor, and athlete. In a state that measures people by whether they show up when they’re needed, he will be remembered as a man who always persevered.