William A. “Bill” Drake

William A. “Bill” Drake, 65, died March 10, 2013, at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

Kyle Forebush will officiate memorial services at 2 p.m., March 16 at the Big Lake Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mile 50, Parks Highway.

William was born Dec. 4, 1947, in San Gabriel, Calif., to Shirley “Sid” and Ruth Mildred (Bauman) Drake.

He served in the U.S. Navy and married Gail P. Pierce on Dec. 18, 1972. The couple lived in Redding, Calif., before moving to Wasilla in 1981. Bill was self-employed, owning Action Scale and Equipment and BD Builders. He also was an electrician.

William enjoyed fishing and the outdoors. He was a motorcycle enthusiast.

“William ‘Bill’ Drake was a man who loved Alaska and being amongst the rustic beauty of the Last Frontier. He fished and tinkered on motorcycles with friends and family,” his family wrote.

Surviving are his wife, Gail P. Drake of Wasilla; daughter, Sarah C. Drake of Santa Rosa, Calif.; son, Benjamin M. Drake of Anchorage; granddaughters, Lucina and Bianca Drake of Lakeport, Calif., and Arianna L. Ghazzagh of Santa Rosa, Calif.; brother, Kenneth Drake of Fortuna, Calif.; and sister, Margaret Preston of Santa Rosa, Calif.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Shirley “Sid” and Ruth M. Drake.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Cremation Society of Alaska-Matanuska Susitna Valley. Words of comfort can be shared with the Drake family at alaskacremation.com.