Meet Barbara Drake May’s Featured Independent Living Resident

We’re excited to introduce you to Melody Living’s Colorado Springs independent living resident of the month, Barbara Drake!

Barbara's journey began in the quaint town of Anna, Ohio, where she was the eldest of five children. Her father managed a tool & die company, while her mother was a skilled stylist who owned her own beauty shop when Barbara was a teenager.

​Barbara distinctly remembers coming home one day in 4th grade and declaring she was going to be a teacher. Her dream never wavered, and she attended Ohio State University to study and get her education degree. 

Barbara graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in education. She met her husband Steve while attending college as well. Steve worked for the American Soybean Association and later owned his own business. His job brought them to many different places through the years, Barbara says she has been to every state in the US except North Dakota.

Their adventurous life together led them to various corners of the country, with Barbara teaching elementary school for an impressive 39 years in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, and finally in the St. Louis, Missouri area. The couple was married just shy of 55 years and raised 2 children, Michelle and Michael. 

Her daughter Michelle, now residing in Colorado Springs with her husband, also shares Barbara's passion for teaching. Her son Michael is a graphic designer in Dallas, Texas. Barbara cherishes her role as a grandmother to her step-grandchildren, whom she holds dear to her heart.

Barbara continues to stay involved with teaching and educating children as she volunteers every week at her daughter’s school. Barbara's dedication to education earned her two distinguished awards at Kehrs Mill Elementary in Missouri: "Teacher of the Year" and the esteemed R.O.S.E. Award or Rockwood’s Outstanding Service in Education which considered teachers across the entire district for recognition. ​

Her commitment to shaping young minds and her love for children continue to shine through, even in retirement. You can see her passion for teaching even today and she says her favorite thing about teaching was the children.  She really enjoys being with them and sharing her knowledge to help them learn.

In her leisure time, Barbara enjoys diving into books and solving jigsaw puzzles. But her true joy comes from volunteering at her daughter's school, where her presence is cherished by both students and staff alike.

In 2020, Barbara and her husband relocated to Colorado Springs to be closer to her daughter and her family. Unfortunately, her husband fell ill with a pulmonary disease and passed away in 2021. Facing health challenges of her own, Barbara made the decision to move to a senior living community rather than stay in a large home by herself. 
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Barbara and her family searched around and found Melody Living. She is very social and loves being here at Melody Living, she tries to be involved in as many events and activities as possible. We are so fortunate to have her bright and cheery personality in our senior living community! We hope you join us and discover a Life in Harmony™ like Barbara has with Melody Living Independent Living. To learn more,  visit our contact page or call us at 719.900.1540.