Robin Drake

Robin Drake, 57, of Marshalltown passed away on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, at his home under the care of the Iowa River Hospice Home. Local funeral services for Rob will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Marshalltown. Public visitation will be on Friday, August 22, 2014, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Funeral services in Lanesboro, Minnesota, will be held on Sunday, August 24, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. with a visitation prior at 12:00 p.m. at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church with burial to follow. For more information or to send a condolence please visit: www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Rob and his family. Robin David Drake was born on March 27, 1957, in Preston, Minnesota, to Marge and David Drake. He lived his first eighteen years in Lanesboro, Minnesota, and graduated from Lanesboro High School in 1975. Rob then joined the United States Navy and served four years in San Diego, California. While in the Navy he married his high school sweetheart, JoAnn Christine Sorum, in 1976. After his Navy tour was up he was a police officer for the city of Cresco, Iowa, for one year from 1979 until 1980. Rob then attended four years of college at Winona State University and earned his teaching and coaching degree, which he found to be his passion. After graduating from college in 1984, he and JoAnn moved to Rochester, Minnesota, so she could finish her physical therapy degree at the Mayo Clinic while Rob substitute taught and coached at the junior high level. In 1986 they moved to Cresco, Iowa, where JoAnn was a physical therapist and Rob continued substitute teaching and coaching. In 1988 Rob got his first teaching assignment in Michigan City, Indiana, as well as coaching basketball for the girls and boys at the junior high school. In 1990, JoAnn and Rob moved to Mason City, Iowa, and Rob was offered a job at West Hancock as an Elementary Physical Education teacher and assistant boys basketball coach. Rob eventually became the head boys coach for ten years starting in 1995 as well as the head volleyball coach from 1991 to 1996. In 2005 Rob resigned his position to follow his wifes career to Paris, Illinois. In 2008 they moved to Marshalltown. Rob was then hired as a health/drivers ed teacher and head girls basketball coach at East Marshall High School. Rob resigned his position in 2013 due to stage IV lung cancer. Rob had a great passion for coaching sports, especially basketball, which was his true love. He also loved to play sports and always played to WIN the game. Fitness was important to him, as he enjoyed swimming laps, biking, walking (especially with Angel and Asia, his two labs that are no longer here), and the sport he could never master- golf, but loved the challenge. A few years ago, Rob trusted in Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. In December 2012, Rob was baptized by his son, Nicholas, at First Baptist Church in Marshalltown. On his passing he has left his loving wife, JoAnn, of 38 years, 3 children: Nicholas (Marsha) Drake, Stephanie Drake and Ashley Drake; seven grandkids: Caden, Noah, Levi, Olivia, Silas, Zoe and Sahari; his mother, Marge Drake, of Lanesboro; brothers Kevin Drake of Lanesboro, Andrew (Mara) Drake of Lanesboro and sister Debbie (Dennis) Long of Des Moines. He was preceded in death by his father, David Drake.