Thelbert L. Drake

Thelbert L. Drake, 92, transitioned to his eternal home on December 25, 2025.

He was the son of Lawrence and Ara (Owen) Drake of Terra Haute, Indiana.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Donald E. Drake; and his wife, Suzanne V. (Eversole) Drake.

Thelbert earned his baccalaureate degree from Indiana State University (1955), and the Masters (1960) and Doctoral (1965) degrees from Michigan State University.

He served as Director of Speech Correction in Okinawa, a teacher in Illinois and Michigan, and principal at Rockford, IL. Dr. Drake served as Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, Assistant Dean at the University of Connecticut, Chairperson at Illinois State University and Dean of Teachers College at Ball State University. He served as an exchange professor in South Korea, and as a lecturer/consultant in Taiwan and Saudi Arabia. Additional duties at Ball State included directing a graduate extension program in Europe. He was appointed Professor and Chairperson Emeritus at BSU.

Dr. Drake was active in professional publishing as the editor or on the editorial boards for several regional or national professional journals. He authored numerous articles in refereed journals, and also was the major author of the graduate-level texts The Principalship and School Business Management.

His work was recognized by the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Education at Michigan State University. He served as President of the Indiana Association of Colleges of Teacher Education.

An active member of several churches, he served on church boards, pianist, and as teacher of adult classes. Dr. Drake was founding board president for the Storrs (CT) Community Church, and also served as a board member for the Bible Institute of New England.

He was a member of the Normal (IL) and Muncie (IN) Rotary Clubs.

Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 2, 2026, in Glenwood Cemetery, Blyman Addition, Shelbyville, IL. Arrangements are by Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL. Memorials may be sent to the Thelbert & Suzanne Drake Scholarship Fund at Indiana Wesleyan University, 4201 S. Washington St., Marion, IN 46953-9980.