Christi Louise Drake

CHRISTI LOUISE MCDONALD DRAKE

December 31, 1980 – March 8, 2025

Our beloved wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend gained her well-deserved angel wings and slipped the chains of this earth to reunite with her beloved family in heaven on March 8, 2025.

Christi was born in Odessa Texas on December 31, 1980 to Michael and Debbie McDonald. She was a 1999 graduate of Permian High School having returned home to Odessa after several years in Corpus Christi with her family.

With quick business acumen, Christi followed in the footsteps of her beloved and cherished grandmother Joyce McDonald and became a tax preparer for H & R Block in Odessa Texas. Her outgoing personality, quick wit, and infectious laugh won over employees and customers alike and she assessed a dedicated and long clientele that followed and supported her throughout her life. Christi transitioned later to become a manager for A3 Storage which took her to Hobbs, New Mexico for period of time. Christi never met a stranger, had the gift of gab and made friends with all. Thus, she was a very successful manager and saleswoman. Outside of day jobs, Christi was dedicated and involved in promoting and growing business and was an enthusiastic and active member of many cities Chamber of Commerce participating in countless meetings and ribbon cuttings.

In her final years of life, Christi owned her own tax business and was a professional, dependable and dedicated tax preparer for many long-time businesses and personal clients who valued her wisdom and appreciated her great dedication to her job.

Christi never met a stranger in any aspect of her life from her childhood to adulthood. She became friends to all and won over everyone she met. She was the rock to her family and friends, the treasured friend and the person whom everyone called for advice, insight or information. She possessed kindness and understanding few have in which she gave in spades to all those she met. Christi possessed an incredible memory, was an amazing historian and had insight and wisdom far beyond her years. She delighted and treasured her relationship with all her nieces and nephews never forgetting birthdays, important dates or activities. She was by far the best aunt any child could have.

For as much happiness and love she brought to those around her, Christi’s life was plagued with many hardships and tough times. Despite the lows and overwhelming medical issues, Christi remained solid in her confidence, strong in faith and persevered. She was an inspiration and a pillar of strength to all that knew her.

Christi cherished and deeply loved her husband Brandon who was her rock and the solid and steady presence in her life. Christi often reminisced that the day she married Brandon was the best day of her life.

Christi was passionate about many things in life but nothing more than her strong bond and love for her brother, Shawn. Christi deeply valued their time together and was strong in her conviction to take care of her brother, especially after the loss of their mom.

Christi found great comfort, love and joy in her many beloved and treasured animals throughout her life. She was the best “Fur Mom” any animal could have had, and she enjoyed spoiling each one.

As a friend, Christi was second to none. Her friendship, love and loyalty knew no bounds and will never be duplicated by another. To call Christi a friend was the highest honor any of her friends could have had. She leaves a gaping hole that will never be filled.

She is preceded in death by both her parents Mike and Debbie McDonald, grandmother Joyce McDonald, Uncle Terry Hamby, Aunt Judy Heasley and Brother In-Laws, Kyle Drake Jr. and Chad Drake.

Left to treasure her memory, her words of wisdom are her beloved husband Brandon Drake, bonus son Brandon Drake of Dover, Delaware, Mother In-Law Jodi Traugott and her husband Joe of Amarillo, Texas, Father In-Law Kyle Wesley Drake, Sr. and his wife, Dawn of Harker Heights, TX, her brother Shawn McDonald of Killeen, Tx, Uncle Danny Hamby of Gulfport, MS, Aunt Lynda Niswonger of Sonora, CA, cousins Christopher Hamby and David Landers who were like brothers to Christi, special cousin and friend Stacey Sierra of Delta, Colorado, cousin Lyndon Abney and her lifelong friends and “sisters by choice” Jamie Andrews Davis of Lancaster, Ky and Amy McCallum Repp of Forney, TX along with the many nieces and nephews who were loved, cherished and spoiled by their Aunt Christi including but not limited to Cyndi Davis, Cayden Davis, Lincoln McCallum, Caitlin Drakus, Carisma Sierra, Cody Davis, Kaydence Hamby, Cashton Hamby, Hailey Abney, Lainey Abney, Garret Abney, Alexis Drake, Kyle Drake III, Kody Drake, Alivia Drake, Mia Zamora, and Sasha Zamora.

Christi was the sun that brightened every day; the warmth and happiness everyone was looking for and drawn too; she was the happiness we all sought and searched for. She was the sunflower that left us too soon but gave us so much of herself and taught us so much in her time here.

Christi is finally free of the chains and bonds of her earthy home and reunited with her beloved family. While she leaves us all heartbroken and lost, we are all better people because we knew her.

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home in Odessa. Burial will be held at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at Llano Cemetery, 2900 S Hayes St, Amarillo, TX 79103. Those wishing to assist with funeral expenses may do so by calling Sunset Memorial Gardens or contributing to the only family sanctioned GoFundMe page hosted by Jodi Traugott.