Drahos, Harold Frank

Harold Frank Drahos, 91, of Luzerne, died Sunday, March 20, 2011, at Rose Haven Nursing Home in Marengo, following a short illness. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 23, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Belle Plaine. Visitation will be held 4 to 7 p.m. today at the Hrabak Funeral Home in Belle Plaine, with a rosary at 7 p.m. Burial, with military rites, will be in Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine.

Surviving are his wife, Lois; three children, Connie (Ed) Wikert, Cedar Rapids, William/Mike (Deb), Blairstown, and Jim (Connie Jacobsen, fiancee), Belle Plaine; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; a sister, Blanche Fisher, Belle Plaine; and a brother, Joe Drahos, Hoffman Estates, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Albia; and a brother, Wilfred (Weaf).

Harold was born on Oct. 3, 1919, at his family home in Belle Plaine, the son of Joseph and Agnes Teahen Drahos. He married Lois Katherine Stephan on June 24, 1947, in Belle Plaine.

Harold served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1941 to 1945 as a staff sergeant at Fort Eustis, Va. Following his discharge, he returned home and worked for the Chicago & North Western Railway Co. After his marriage, he moved to rural Luzerne where he farmed, worked for Amana Refrigeration, Solar Homes and finally was self employed as a carpenter/handyman in the Benton County area until he retired.

He was a member of the American Legion Post 39 in Belle Plaine. He loved his home, his work and his family. He was very proud of his flowers and garden and enjoyed sharing what he grew. He played the accordion, and in recent years when the accordion became too heavy, taught himself to play the harmonica. He loved to sing and play music for his wife and his family - and anyone else who would listen. He also liked to share a good joke. He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.

The family would like to thank the staff at Rose Haven who took such wonderful care of Harold over the past few weeks and for their continued care and support of Lois.