Dortha M. Drake, 95, of Dell Rapids passed away on Friday, January 25, 2013 at Dells Nursing and Rehab Center. Her funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at the First Baptist Church, Dell Rapids wit Pastor Melissa Fletcher officiating. Casketbearers are John Stansell, Thom Forseth, Charles Boise, Wayne Harless, Paul Sechser and Scott Sechser. Interment will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Chester. Visitation will begin at noon on Tuesday, January, 29, 2013 with the family present at 6:00 p.m. at Kahler Funeral Home. To leave condolences please visit www.kahlerfh.com.
Dortha M. Cone was born on May 13, 1917, at Trent, SD. She was the eighth of nine children of William and Florence (Bunn) Cone. She attended school in Trent and graduated from Trent High School. She worked at Woolworths Store in Sioux Falls. She met and later married Lewis Drake on May 5, 1939. The couple made their home on a farm in Moody County. They farmed with Lewis’s father for many years. They later bought a farm from Will Drake. They continued to farm and raise their four daughters in Moody County. Lewis passed away in 2003. Dortha remained on the farm until she was 92. She then moved into an apartment at Orchard Hills in Dell Rapids.
Dortha passed away on Friday, January 25, 2013 at the Dells Nursing and Rehab Center. She was 95 and preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her daughter, Karen Talley, four brothers, three sisters and an infant sibling. Dortha was a member of the First Baptist Church of Dell Rapids.
She is survived by her daughters, Kitty (Williard) Harless of Elverta, CA, Anita (John) Stansell of Sioux City, IA and Wendy (Thom) Forseth of Dillon, MT; her 12 grandchildren, Katherine Williams, Charles Boise, Paul Sechser, Scott Sechser, Natalie Schuman, Sarah Harless, Wayne Harless, Jocelyn Patterson, Connie Cameron, Michelle Stansell, Mandy Buckmaster and Vanessa Forseth; her 35 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren; son-in-law, Dave Talley and sister-in-law, Charlene Cone.