Born to Lucia Gayden and Lemuel A. Drake on November 25, 1921 in the small community of North Zulch near Madisonville, Texas, he was the youngest boy of eight children. Growing up in North Zulch provided Otis many opportunities to learn and excel and he seized these.
Whether it was through academics, high school athletics, hunting and fishing in the nearby woods or helping with chores on the farm Otis was there.
Always a firm believer in education and learning, he served many years on the North Zulch School Board.
When in town he could often be found buying hamburgers at Mertz Cafe for local high school students.
A dedicated Mason since 1942 Otis joined the Masonic Lodge while working on a welding job in the Central American country of Panama at the age of 21 (sponsored by George Ellis). He continued as a member in good standing of Lodge #740, in Madisonville some 74 years, until his death.
Asked what was the best thing about being a Mason Otis stated that he met many people while traveling on his pipeline jobs that were Masons and they always welcomed him and his family into the numerous towns in which they lived. They had a common bond
.
Otis said he met the love of his life, Ruth Fannin of Madisonville, when the Army "called him up" for the draft and he went for his physical. He entered the Selective Service Draft Board Office and "sat down on her desk".
"She fell in love with me when she first saw me" Otis recounted with his family years later. Not long afterward he proposed to her on Wednesday, Nov. 24th, 1943 and they married the following Sunday.
Together, they shared over 64 "joyous" years before Ruth's passing in 2007.
He was also preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings.
Born to Lucia Gayden and Lemuel A. Drake on November 25, 1921 in the small community of North Zulch near Madisonville, Texas, he was the youngest boy of eight children. Growing up in North Zulch provided Otis many opportunities to learn and excel and he seized these.
Whether it was through academics, high school athletics, hunting and fishing in the nearby woods or helping with chores on the farm Otis was there.
Always a firm believer in education and learning, he served many years on the North Zulch School Board.
When in town he could often be found buying hamburgers at Mertz Cafe for local high school students.
A dedicated Mason since 1942 Otis joined the Masonic Lodge while working on a welding job in the Central American country of Panama at the age of 21 (sponsored by George Ellis). He continued as a member in good standing of Lodge #740, in Madisonville some 74 years, until his death.
Asked what was the best thing about being a Mason Otis stated that he met many people while traveling on his pipeline jobs that were Masons and they always welcomed him and his family into the numerous towns in which they lived. They had a common bond
.
Otis said he met the love of his life, Ruth Fannin of Madisonville, when the Army "called him up" for the draft and he went for his physical. He entered the Selective Service Draft Board Office and "sat down on her desk".
"She fell in love with me when she first saw me" Otis recounted with his family years later. Not long afterward he proposed to her on Wednesday, Nov. 24th, 1943 and they married the following Sunday.
Together, they shared over 64 "joyous" years before Ruth's passing in 2007.
He was also preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings.
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