Franklin – William Edward "Little Billy" Drake, Jr.,19, passed away May 1, 2008. Born in Lakeland, Fl., he was the son of Lisa Brock and William Edward Drake, Sr. He was a 2007 Honor Graduate of Southampton High School and a member of the James L. Camp, Jr. YMCA. Billy was very active in martial arts, loved weight lifting and swimming, and was very health conscious. He attended True Word Christian Church.
Surviving in addition to his parents is his sister, Crystal D. Wicks and husband, Robert, of Courtland; two nieces, Keira and Haley Wicks; paternal grandparents, Emmitt and Louise Drake, of Franklin; paternal great-grandmother, Myrtle Jordan of Williamsburg; his girlfriend, Brittany Beltrami; aunts and uncles, Barry Drake, Kathy and Jamie Schulze, Carolyn and Wayne Umphlette, Fran and Tim Barnes, Grace Allen, Diana and Dean Tucker, Carolyn and Ricky Holcomb, James and Ceil Jordan, Peter and Phyllis Brock, Donald and Jordan Brock, Richard and Teresa Brock, Ann and Sam Trapani, and Doris and Chester Forehand, and his close friend, "son" Jacob Byrd. He was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Carolyn and Peter Bobby Brock.
A joint funeral service with his best friend, Kyle James Jones, will be conducted Wednesday at 1 pm at Shiloh Baptist Church in Boykins with Pastor Charles Worth officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 5 to 7 pm at Wright Funeral Home, Franklin. www.wrightfuneralhome.org