Catherine Drakeford was born on April 5, 1924, in Ridge Spring, South Carolina, to Louie Gomillion and Janie Watson Gomillion. She was one of nine children and received her early education in the Ridge Spring Public School System before attending Bettis Academy and Junior College in Edgefield County, South Carolina.

After graduating from Bettis Academy, Catherine left South Carolina and moved to Brooklyn, New York, in search of new opportunities. There, she met and married the love of her life, Halley Drakeford. Together, they later settled in Bayside, Queens, where they built a loving home and raised their two children, Holley and Katrina.

Widowed in 1959, Catherine courageously raised her children on her own. She later moved to Kew Gardens, Queens, where she resided until 1997, before relocating to Briarwood, Queens, to live with her daughter. Throughout her career, Catherine worked for Decca Records and later served the City of New York as a secretary for the Department of Health until her retirement in 1997.

Affectionately known by many as “Grandma Drakeford,” Catherine was a woman of deep faith who loved God and found joy in caring for others. She was known for her wonderful cooking, her love of dancing, and her enthusiasm for keeping up with current events, news, and popular culture. Her warmth, strength, and vibrant spirit left a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.

Catherine was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Halley Drakeford; her daughter, Katrina Drakeford; her granddaughters, Dawn and Patryce Renee Drakeford; her daughter-in-law, Karen Janet Drakeford; her sisters, Flossie Mae Hammond, Helen Graham, Thresher Davis, and Ernestine Geneva Watson; and her brothers, Ruthers Gomillion, Laurel Gomillion, L.T. Gomillion, and James Gomillion.

She leaves to cherish her memory her devoted son, Holley Drakeford, her daughter-in-law, Joi Lynn Drakeford; her beloved granddaughter, Naki Danielle Cordovez, grandson-in- law John Cordovez; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends who will forever hold her in their hearts and miss her deeply.