Dr. David Allen Rakes

David Allen Rakes, 79, left his earthly home on Friday night, June 12, 2026, and arrived at his heavenly home. He is in the presence of Jesus and enjoying heaven’s glory, and that gives us reason to rejoice. He passed from life to eternal life and left a wonderful testimony of his faith.

David was born May 12, 1947, in Huntington, West Virginia, the only child of the late Harold Ray Rakes and Alberta June Hood. He moved to Fairborn as a young child and attended Fairborn City Schools from K - 12; he graduated from Fairborn High School in 1965. He also held degrees from Cedarville College, Cedarville, OH, 1969, B.A. (major in Bible; minor in Greek); Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX, 1972, Master of Divinity (M. Div); and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY, 1988, Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.).

At the age of 12, David accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior when Dr. Charles Stanley was the pastor at First Baptist Church Fairborn. It was shortly thereafter that he felt the Lord was calling him to preach, and he began to prepare for his vocation as a minister.

His pastoral experience included Calvary Baptist Church, Weatherford, TX; Beavercreek Baptist Church, Beavercreek, OH; Southern Heights Baptist Church, Lexington, KY; Broadmoor Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA; First Baptist Church, Fairborn, OH; and Friendship Baptist Church, Harveysburg, OH.

David taught as an adjunct professor for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans, LA (Shreveport Extension and Tampa Extension); and Boyce Bible Institute, Louisville, KY (Dayton Extension). He held several appointed positions with the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio, Greater Dayton Association of Baptists, Tampa Bay Baptist Association, Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association, and Elkhorn Baptist Association, Lexington, KY. David also participated in short-term mission trips to Mexico, South Korea, Hong Kong, Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon.

He was also involved in his community and served on the Human Rights Committee of Exception (a facility for mentally challenged adults), Lexington, KY; as an advisor to The Lighthouse (a facility for inner-city children), Shreveport, LA; on the Hospice Advisory Board, Willis-Knighton Hospital, Shreveport, LA; as a board member of the American Cancer Society, Shreveport, LA; as chaplain of the South Shreveport Lions Club; on the board of directors of University Crisis Pregnancy Center, Tampa, FL; as both vice president and president of Fairborn Ministerial Alliance; on the Fairborn Vision 2000 Long Range Planning Committee, the Fairborn Peacemaker Committee; and served on the Board of Directors of Miami Valley Women’s Center.

He is survived by his wife Betty Lakins Rakes, whom he met when he came back from college to visit the band at his high school alma mater in the fall of 1965. He was 18 years old, and she was 15. He is also survived by three precious daughters: Lori Rakes McNeill (David), Whitewright, TX; Tina Rakes Crawford (John), Greenville, SC; and Holly Rakes Ocampo (Al), Beavercreek, OH; 14 grandchildren: Cade (Delanie) Chick, Hannah McNeill (Timothy) Kamara, Benjamin (Talisha) McNeill, Hunter Toler, MaryKathryn McNeill (Brent) Dalton; McKenna Ocampo-Toler (Jakob) Borgerding, Madison Ocampo-Toler (Ryan) Duvall; Evan Toler, Samuel McNeill, Lachlan Crawford, Aila Crawford, Paisley Crawford, Guardian Ocampo, and Highland Ocampo; nine great-grandchildren: Aria and Canon Chick; Matthew and Wesley McNeill; Adelaide McNeill; Shepherd and Thatcher Duvall; Timson and Grace Kamara; and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by a special childhood friend who was like a brother, Major Bond, Wendell, NC.

David was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, who loved people and was known by many as “pastor.” He was a good and honest man. He was fiercely competitive. He was organized, loved to read, jog, and listen to music – especially the 60’s Oldies but Goodies. Later in life, he began to paint with acrylics and produced some very nice artwork. He loved to travel and was especially blessed to have traveled to Europe.

The family would like to express their sincere thanks to Dr. Mark Monsour, Dr. Erik Weise, Dr. Ketan Shah, and Dr. Janette Froehlich, as well as their nursing and support staff for their compassion and excellent care. They would also like to thank Hospice of Dayton for their care and support.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday June 20, 2026 at 12:00 noon at the First Baptist Church of Fairborn, 1167 Highview Drive, Dr. Chad Keck officiating. The family will receive friends from 9:30 A.M. until the time of service at the church. Burial will follow at the Fairfield Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to Hospice of Dayton or First Baptist Church Kettering, Sugarcreek Campus.

Arrangements in care of Belton-Stroup Funeral Home, Fairborn.