John W "Jack" Oakes

View Funeral Webcast John William "Jack" Oakes, 84, a resident of Rolling Fields, died Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at Maury Regional Medical Center following a short illness. Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, December 18, 2010 at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Scott Aleridge officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Friday, December 17, 2010 from 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 222 West Seventh Street, Columbia, TN 38401 or Highland Church of Christ Building Fund, 497 East James Campbell Blvd, Columbia, TN 38401. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. A native of Maury County, Mr. Oakes was the son of the late Albert Fisher and Marguerite Page Oakes. On June 27, 1954, he married Lavonne Wiley of Columbia, and they were blessed with 56 wonderful years of marriage. Mr. Oakes attended Maury County schools and graduated from Columbia Military Academy in 1944. During his school years he was a member of the school band and was active in several school sports, including basketball, where he was elected captain of his basketball team. In June of 1944, just two weeks after graduation, Mr. Oakes entered the U. S. Army during the time of World War II. As a Staff Sergeant, he served in both Co. F, 395th Infantry, 99th Division and Co. K, 12th Infantry, 4th Division. He was stationed in Europe, primarily in Belgium and Germany. After two years of service to his country, and the war coming to an end, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Mr. Oakes wrote his memories of the war, and they were published in "Maury County Remembers World War II", Part Two. Following military service, Mr. Oakes attended Vanderbilt University. In 1947, he joined the family business, Oakes Furniture Manufacturing Company, which was founded by his grandfather, W. J. Oakes in 1885, and served as a partner and plant supervisor with his father and brother until 1960. In 1961, Mr. Oakes began his employment at Monsanto Chemical Company as a Scale Room Operator. He continued his employment there until his retirement, 25 years later, at the time of the plant's closing. He was a member of First United Methodist Church. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, John (Cheryl) Oakes and Julie (Patrick) Harlan, both of Columbia; four grandchildren, John David Oakes, Will Oakes, Katherine Harlan, and Madeline Harlan, all of Columbia; a sister, Jane Page Trice of Columbia; a nephew, Buddy (Cathy) Oakes of Columbia; three nieces, Jan (Mike) Knight of Franklin, Pam Trice Taylor of Columbia; and Nancy Trice Birdwell of Florida; a sister-in-law, Mary Eleanor (Pete) Payne of Columbia; and two cousins, Page Chamberlain of Columbia and Mary Page Leutner of Sacramento, CA. He was preceded in death by a brother, Albert Fisher Oakes, Jr. and a brother-in-law, O. A. Trice. Pallbearers will be Buddy Oakes, Fisher Oakes, Jackson Oakes, Mike Knight, J. B. Long, Larry King, Danny King, and Darrell Maggard. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19, former employees of Oakes Chair Factory, former employees of Monsanto Chemical Company, staff of Oncology Associates, staff of Skilled Nursing Unit at Maury Regional Medical Center, Dr. John Simmons, Page Chamberlain, Pete & Mel Payne, Curtis & Fay Flowers, Curtis & Wynona Dowdy, Steve & Debbie Harris, Mike & Diane Bone, William H. Smith, Emily Long, Jimmy Davis, Jr., Jimmy Davis, Sr., Dale Shelton, Mavis Pitts, William Fly, Bob Thomas, Jim Lester, Bill & Sue Fly, Phil & Sandra Lindsey, Ernie Allen, Sr., Tommy Vann, Wayne Alderson, Jim Sager, Mary Page Leutner, Dalton Mounger, Lionel & Shirley Ward, Harold Roberts, Jean Harlan, Ray & Betty Holden, Bob Duling, Ernie Allen, Jr., Travis & Harriet Jett, and Paul & Freida Wagster.