Veronica Drakea onetime Chicago resident and longtime LGBTQ+-rights activistrecently passed away in October. She was 58.
She last resided in Florida.
According to an obituary at Marvin C. Zanders Funeral Home, Inc., Drake was born Sept. 15, 1963, in Chicago to Jethro Drake and Stella Jeanette Allis.
She graduated from Carver Area High School. She then went on to receive a bachelor's degree in history in 1985 from the University of Chicago; a master's degree in business administration in 2009 from the University of Phoenix; and a master's degree in education/adult education and training in 2011 from the University of Phoenix.
Drake held numerous jobs, including global training coordinator, senior enrollment representative, career management consultant and educational consultant, up to her most recent position as a technical product consultant with ADP, a human resource and payroll processing company.
Gerber/Hart Library and Archives has a Veronica Drake Collection spanning 1989-95, according to the organization's website. Drake was a Gerber/Hart board of directors member for three years. She founded Lesbian Chicago; helped organize the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation; and worked with the Lambda Force at Columbia College as an advisor. Her collection includes letters, notes, minutes and newsletters associated with Lesbian Chicago, Lambda Force and Gerber/Hart.
She is survived by brother William Drake; sister-in-law Shereen Drake; niece Carissa Drake; nephew Joshua Drake; great-niece Anyla; great-nephew Langston; her beloved cat, Princess Calypso; and numerous other family members and friends.
More about Drake is at www.zandersfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Veronica-Drake/ . To send flowers or a memorial gift to her family, visit www.zandersfuneralhome.com/store/funeral-service