John E. Drake October 15, 1917 – April 20, 2015

Friends are invited to attend a visitation at Johnson Funeral Home, 17720 Monterey St., Morgan Hill, CA on Friday, May 1, 2015, from 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M., with a vigil service at 6:00 P.M. A Christian Funeral Mass will be held at St. Catherine Catholic Church, 17400 Peak Ave., Morgan Hill, CA on Saturday, May 2, 2015, at 12:00 P.M. You are welcome to join the family afterward for a luncheon at Westmont of Morgan Hill, 1160 Cochrane Rd.
 John joined the Marine Corps in 1942, at the beginning of WWII and saw action in Okinawa, Guam, Japan and Hawaii. Toward the end of his career, he was stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, CA, where he met the love of his life, Margaret Eilert, in 1958. They were married in 1960.
 John retired from the Marine Corps in 1964, and they moved to the Bay Area where Margaret’s son, Paul and his family were living.
 John and Margaret first lived in San Francisco, but shortly moved to Corte Madera and then to Rohnert Park, where John worked for Civil Service until Margaret’s health forced him to move to Morgan Hill in 1994.
 Margaret passed away in 1997, and John moved to the Westmont retirement center in 2012.
 John is survived by the Eilert family; Paul, Patrick, Laura Williams, Leslie Montarbo, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Also survivng John are family members Joanne Carroll-niece, Antioch, Ill.; Loretta Wojerk-niece, Algonquin, Ill.; Karen Grosich-niece, Mundelein, Ill.; Cheryl Franz’en-niece, Monterey, CA; Tina Frehauf-niece, San Anselmo, CA.
 John was loved and respected by everyone who knew him. He always had a warm smile and positive word for everyone he met. He was devoted to his wife, Margaret, and cared lovingly for her during many years of being in a wheelchair and dementia.
 He was extremely generous to his family, church and many charities. His family learned much about loyalty, dedication and pereserverance from this strong man. He brought much into their lives, and he will be greatly missed.