Grace L. Drake facts for kids

Grace L. Drake (born May 25, 1926 – died December 30, 2020) was an important American politician. She was a member of the Ohio Senate, which is part of Ohio's state government. Grace Drake served the 22nd district from 1984 to 2000. This district included parts of Cuyahoga County and all of Medina and Wayne Counties. She left office in 2000 because of "term limits," which meant she could not run again. Ron Amstutz took her place.

About Grace Drake

Grace L. Drake was born in New London, Connecticut, on May 25, 1926. She finished high school at Williams Memorial Institute in 1944. Later, she moved to Solon, Ohio. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a photographer and managed a photo studio.

Her Work in the Senate

While serving in the Ohio Senate, Grace Drake worked hard for education. She especially supported the Ohio State University-Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster. She also helped the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. She created laws that gave land around the Institute to be used as a working farm.

In 2003, the university honored her work. They renamed the area the Grace L. Drake Agricultural Laboratory. This showed how much her efforts helped the school.

Helping Women in Public Service

After leaving the Senate, Grace Drake continued to make a difference. In 2001, she started a new center. It was called the Ohio Center for the Advancement of Women in Public Service. This center is part of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. The main goal of the center is to encourage women. It inspires them to choose careers in public service.

Grace Drake passed away on December 30, 2020, in Solon, Ohio.