Facts
Born: February 15, 1931
Death: May 6, 2010
In Memoriam of Thomas Jennings Oakes
Thomas Jennings Oakes
February 15, 1931 - May 6, 2010
The funeral service for Tom will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 13, 2010, at the Conger~Morris Medford Chapel, 715 West Main Street, Medford 97501. Graveside services will follow at Memory Gardens Memorial Park, 1395 Arnold Lane, Medford 97501. Pastor Lee Gregory will officiate.
Arrangements by Conger~Morris (541) 772-7111 congermorris.com
Thomas Jennings Oakes was born February 15, 1931 in Broken Bow Nebraska to Herschel Oakes and Lillian Margaret Webb . He has a brother Gifford Oakes of El Paso, Texas and a sister, Eula Rose Hall of Roseburg, Or. He was preceded in death by his sister Marjorie McDonald of Hillsborough CA. He is survived by his wife Gaylee Oakes.
The Oakes family moved from Nebraska to Medford in 1944. Thomas attended Oak Grove elementary school, Mcloughlin Junior High and Medford Senior High School. He played football and quarterbacked for the Black Tornadoes.
Tom worked in the logging industry in southern Oregon and had his own logging business for many years. He took a break from logging, bought a 55 ft. commercial fishing boat “The Ruby”and fished off the Southern Oregon coast for a couple of years. He served in the US Army for two years .
Tom loved to play golf with his friends. In later years he enjoyed the golf channel as well as watching football,basketball and other sports. He always stayed current with local athletes and also enjoyed "American Idol" and "Dancing with the Stars"
During his last years he spent much of his time at the Rogue Valley Dialysis center where he made friends with the staff and other patients. He always had a great outlook on life.
Most of all, Tom loved and enjoyed his family. He looked forward to seeing and visiting his relatives at the annual family reunion. He always had family around him. He also loved his dogs Rosie and Harry.
He was a member of both the Eagles and the Moose lodges.
Thomas had three children, Debbie OakesForde, (Gary Haislip) of McMinnville OR, Linda Oakes , (Tim Kenyon), of Medford Or, and Scott Oakes (deceased). He had 7 grandchildren; Jack Forde, Kylie Forde, Jaydene Martin, Whitney Waddell, Lucille Elaine Waddell(deceased) , Matthew Oakes and Keri Oakes.
He had 5 great grandchildren; Michelle Forde, Sarah Brosius, Penny Cline, Alex Solario and Roman Solario.
Tom loved life and people and will be greatly missed by family and friends.
Services will be held Thursday at Conger Morris Funeral Directors, 715 W. Main St. Medford, OR 97501. Thursday May 13, 2010 at 11:00am Reception following at the Moose Lodge Medford, OR.
Donations may be made to the Rogue Valley Dialysis Center. Medford OR.
Sign the Guestbook
Share your thoughts and memories about Thomas Jennings Oakes in the guestbook.
