WASHBURN – Leland "Duke" Drost, 79, died Monday, July 24, 2006, at home, with his loving family by his side, after a long battle with cancer. He was born April 8, 1927, in Washburn, the son of the late John Wesley and Virginia (Little) Drost. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War with the 205th T C Amph Truck Co. Mr. Drost graduated from high school in 1994, at the age of 67. He left school when he was 14 to help his family through difficult times. At that age he began working in the farming industry, and then for the Washburn Highway Department. From there he worked at Sears & Roebuck Co. as a refrigeration specialist. In 1967 he opened his own company, Leland Drost Service, and retired in May 2006. He became a licensed pilot in 1973, was a Maine state hunting and fishing guide for several years, a member of the American Legion Oscar Dow Post No. 48 for 30 years and was the civil emergency preparedness director of Washburn for 25 years. He loved hunting, fishing, boating and snow sledding; he had a passion for all outdoor activities. Leland shared 41 beautiful years of marriage with his friend and devoted companion, Kathleen Fay (Boyce) Drost, who died in 1993. Surviving him is his wife of 12 years, Rena (Corriveau) Drost of Washburn; a son, David Boyce and wife, Melody, of Mulberry, Fla.; a daughter, Deborah Smith and her husband, Stanley, of Upper Glade, W.Va.; grandchildren, Ivan Boyce of Lakeland, Fla., Bryan Boyce and his wife, Dawn, of Omaha, Neb. and Matthew Conley and his wife, Jacquelyn, of Panama City, Fla.; two stepgrandchildren, Robert Smith of Presque Isle and Rachelle Smith of Old Town; great-grandchildren, Andrew and Alyssa Boyce of Florida, Sydney and Ava Boyce of Nebraska and Mason and Gavin Conley of Florida; five brothers and their wives, Jack and Bernice "Bunny" of Ellsworth, Donald and Faye of Carson Siding and Sonny and Jean, Johnny and Debbie, Calvin O'Clair and Jackie, all of Washburn; four sisters, Anna Springer, Bernice Pelletier, Judy Drost and husband, Willie, and Debbie Corey, all of Washburn; a very special nephew, Roland "Spike" Drost Jr. of Presque Isle; and special friends, Wendall and Lily Searles and Todd Pooler of Caribou. One of Duke's greatest joys in life was meeting new people and sharing time with his many friends at Reno's Restaurant, young or old he loved them all. He was predeceased by his parents and wife; two brothers, Glenwood "Gum" Drost of Washburn and Roland Drost Sr. of Presque Isle; and a sister, Kitter Akerson of Washburn. Relatives and friends may call 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, 30 Church St., Presque Isle. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Friday, July 28, at the Washburn Pentecostal Church, Washburn with the Rev. Bruce Blakney officiating. A military committal will be at Crouseville Cemetery, Crouseville, Maine.