Blease Drakeford

Blease Drakeford was born on November 11, 1944, in Camden, South Carolina to the late Deacon Steve Drakeford, Sr., and the late Deaconess Mary Lee Drakeford. He departed this earthly life on Friday, May 20, 2022. Blease attended the public schools of Kershaw County, graduating from Jackson High School in 1965. After graduation, he joined the United States Army for three years. Upon returning home after his tour of service, Blease went to work at E.I. DuPont. He worked at DuPont for twenty-four and a half years. He attended Columbia Commercial College.

Blease received his early religious training and was baptized at Macedonia Baptist Church. He sang in the gospel choir and served as chairman of the trustees. He was a member of The Sanders-Stone Post #203 where he was the youngest member for a number of years. He was also a member of the Hadoth Chapter #250 where he earned his 32nd degree as a Mason, and he was a Shriner.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Steve Drakeford, Sr., and Mary Lee Drakeford; brother and sister-in-law, Steve Drakeford, Jr and Janie Adamson Drakeford; sister, Fay Drakeford Sumter; granddaughter, Jasmine Watson Blount; brothers-in-law, Robert Mickle and Leroy Williams.

Blease leaves to remember him fondly: his devoted wife, Agnes; his sons, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Thomas A. (Dawn) Drakeford of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Christopher T. Drakeford of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Marquis (Asia) Workman of Columbia, South Carolina; two grandchildren, Ashleigh Drakeford of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Markail Drakeford of Fort Mill, South Carolina; five great-grandchildren; his siblings, Emily Mickle of Columbia, South Carolina, William (Janee) Drakeford of Wake Forest, North Carolina, Stanley Drakeford of Camden, South Carolina, and Loretta Drakeford Williams of Aiken, South Carolina; brother-in-law, Arthur Sumter of Camden, South Carolina; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.