Services for Anita (Burford) Drake, 86, of Locust Grove, were held Monday, January 21, 2002, at 1:00pm in the First Baptist Church, Locust Grove.  Rev. Larry McDonald officiated, with interment following in the Chouteau North Cemetery.  Services were under the direction of the Locust Grove Funeral Home.

Mrs. Drake was born February 1, 1915, in Coweta, to Walter and Viola (Hensley) Coday.  She grew up in the Locust Grove area, and married Elmer Burford there on January 11, 1936.  She was a dedicated homemaker, and helped her husband run the dairy on the family farm southeast of Locust Grove.  She was an active member of the Locust Grove First Baptist Church since 1946, serving a few years as Sunday School teacher, and 20 years as church clerk.  After 32 years of marriage, she lost Elmer in 1968.

She married Clarence Drake on March 17, 1972, in Locust Grove.  She remained an active member of First Baptist, as well as a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.  In her spare time she enjoyed quilting, and she was an excellent seamstress.

She passed from this life on Friday, January 18, 2002, in Salina.  She is survived by her husband of 29 years, Clarence Drake of Locust Grove; sons Donald Burford of Claremore, Dale and wife Peggy Burford of Locust Grove; as well as 4 grandchildren, 10 step-grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and 14 step great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by both parents; her first husband Elmer Burford; 2 brothers, Hobart Coday and Howard Coday; and 2 sisters, Maxine Coday Giles and Irene Coday.

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