In Loving Memory of Drake Ewbank

Obituary - Robert Drake Ewbank, 1955-2025

Robert Drake Ewbank, known by most as "Drake", passed away on June 23, 2025 at the age of 70, in his own home in Eugene, OR, with close friends and family by his side. Drake's cause of death was prostate cancer. Drake was born on May 15, 1955 in Iowa City, Iowa to Jan Lisbeth and Bob Lance Ewbank, who preceded him in death. Drake is survived by his daughter, Selena Lynne Briganti; brothers Pete and Sam Ewbank; sister Melissa Ewbank; nephews Elijah, Hank, and Nelson; former spouse Iryna Griffis, whom he married in 2017, and stepson Roman Bezvikonnyi. Drake is also preceded in death by sister Mary Michael Ewbank, sister in-law Janet Ewbank (Pete), nephew George Ewbank, and brother-in-law Mark Akai (Melissa).

Drake attended Nathan Hale and Nova High Schools in Seattle, WA and Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. In his youth, he was an artist and writer, and was intensely involved in the music scene in Seattle, WA. He played drums in his Band The Nots, who cut an album in the 1980s. Drake drove a taxi for Farwest Cab Company in Seattle during the 80s, and also published a news journal in the 80s dedicated to art and the art of writing. Each issue had a slightly different name depending on the theme of the issue, such as "The Western Dispatch." Drake had a strong interest in poetry, and in the use of non-violent language. He operated a used bookstore in Corvallis, OR for a short while during the 80s. Despite his time at Oregon State University, Drake was a staunch Ducks fan.

Family was important to Drake. The welfare and happiness of his cherished daughter “Selena the Flash” was always Drake’s primary concern. He spent many delightful hours watching sports, tv series, and Disney movies with Selena; teaching her to drive; discussing her school curriculum and her life; listening to her play the flute; and proudly attending her band concerts. Drake deeply loved his wife Iryna, enjoyed taking trips with her, and never ceased being charmed by her term of endearment for him, "Drake-chik". Drake reveled in having long conversations with Roman, his stepson, about any topic, and provided thoughtful guidance about navigating life. Drake loved, too, having phone conversations and visits with his siblings, all of whom reside in other states.

Drake held a QMHA certification, and from the 1990s until his death, he devoted the majority of his waking hours to daily social service work, writing about mental health, and mental health advocacy and activism. He was the creator of numerous mental health trainings, and was a masterful presenter at local and national conferences on mental health. For decades, Drake served on various state and county mental health, disability, and consumer/survivor committees and boards, including the Oregon State Trauma Policy Advisory Committee, the Lane County Human Rights Commission, Disability Rights Oregon, both County and State Consumer Advisory Councils, the Peer Advocacy Council, and many other state and national committees and boards. He was considered a top local and national authority on consumer/survivor issues as well as mental health system operations and their deficits. He received countless awards for his tireless devotion to consumer/survivor rights and care. His insights, mastery, and experience helped shape public mental health policy and procedure for decades.

Drake was known for his soaring intellect, quick and creative problem-solving skills, generous heart, quirky sense of humor, and a tendency to "think outside the box." He was a brilliant writer of grants, presentations, legal briefs, letters, poems, stories, and a beautiful novelistic memoir. He had a vast breadth of knowledge about community issues, law, psychology, philosophy, music, art, literature, history, politics, and computer technology. Lived experience of homelessness and psychiatric hospitalizations in his youth had endowed him with an acute sensitivity and compassion toward others, especially trauma survivors and those in trouble or crisis, humans and animals alike. Drake always had a ready ear, and a relaxed manner that put people at ease; it was his natural inclination to be curious about others and concerned for their welfare. He would often initiate long conversations with strangers and friends alike. Drake was genuinely interested in people, and extended a hand whenever tough situations arose. He was the person who would show up in the middle of the night if someone was in crisis, or help someone move to a different city, or drive someone to Portland for surgery. Drake mentored, nurtured, and supported those whose lives he touched, and in doing so he guided people to realize and manifest their gifts, goals, and dreams in life, and thus to achieve self-empowerment. Many people considered Drake to be their "best friend".

All these qualities gave Drake the natural ability, in the 1990s, to help launch the revised and expanded SAFE Drop-in Center, an agency owned and operated by and for consumers and survivors of mental health treatment, in its new location at a storefront building in downtown Springfield, OR. SAFE’s humble origins had been in a spare room at the old Lane County Mental Health building in Eugene, OR. In Springfield, SAFE excelled under Drake’s guidance as a creative, non-hierarchical, not for profit, peer-run drop-in center that flourished for many years and was a haven for hundreds of people. It had a family home-like atmosphere, and offered live music concerts and jam sessions; job opportunities; art groups and an art gallery; movie nights; an abundance of support groups and personal interest classes; nutritional guidance; free computers and technical support; trips to the coast; holiday dinners; shelter for those without housing; assistance finding housing; transportation aid; peer counseling; personal care assistant services, etc. SAFE's doors were open to any human being, though most had received or were receiving mental health services. Most clients and visitors who used SAFE's sanctuary and services exhibited a sharp drop in, or complete cessation of, psychiatric hospitalizations, and there were zero suicides. SAFE became Oregon's oldest and most successful peer-run mental health agency - a model for other drop-in centers - and Drake was its driving force. SAFE was, in fact, so successful and prized by local mental health agencies, that the county supported its efforts to initiate and conduct the first and only mental health consumer-operated Medicaid-credentialed provider agency in Lane County, under the name Valia Health Resources. Drake served as Valia's Operations Coordinator until 2009 when Valia closed its doors. At that point, SAFE changed its name to Crystal Dimensions and existed for approximately another two years.

It was crucial to Drake that people not feel sad about his illness and that they seek joy once he departed. In the months preceding his death, Drake told those closest to him that he had no regrets about the various paths his life had taken, and that he felt deeply fulfilled by everything he had done, seen, and accomplished in his life, though he always said his greatest accomplishment (yet one he humbly believed he could not take credit for) was his beloved daughter, Selena. His most pressing concerns were for her security after his death. Aside from conscientious parenting, Drake was closely involved in the Oregon Country Fair since the early 1990s and was a member of the Doors of Expression Booth in Community Village; he also served on the Community Village Council for many years. Drake also volunteered for several decades at the Highway 58 Golf Driving Range in Eugene, OR and did volunteer technical support for Eugene FreeNet. He often built computers from parts bought at St. Vincent de Paul or Goodwill, which he then gave to clients, friends, and family. Additionally, he was a national and world traveler; a U.S. sponsor for five Ukrainian refugees; a reader for the blind; a golfer; a cat, bird, and duck rescuer; and he even ran for the position of Mayor of Springfield, OR in 2016.

Drake will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues, community partners, and loved ones. A Celebration of Life Party and Potluck is scheduled for June 8, 2026, 4:30 p.m., at the Highway 58 Golf Driving Range, 34455 OR-58, Eugene, OR, 97405. Contact 541-988-9036 for more details.