Paul J. Oakes, 88, of Pikeville, TN, passed away at Cumberland Medical Center on Thursday, February 26, 2015.
He was of the Baptist faith and retired from Taft Youth Center after 37 years of service. His favorite pastime was trading. It was said that even if you had nothing to trade “he’d swap a nickel with you just so he could say he traded with ya”.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Hunter and Bessie Ann (Ward) Oakes; brothers and in-laws, Harold (Pearl and Nan) Oakes, Raymond (Bernice) Oakes, R.A. (Agnes) Oakes, D.C. (Alta) Oakes, Turner (Edna) Oakes, Lenard Oakes and Woodrow Oakes; sisters and in-laws, Jewell (Ernest) Reece and Bobbie (Reed) Cantrell; and one brother-in-law, Clarence Dean.
Paul is survived by his wife of 67 years, Velma Inez (Stone) Oakes; sons, Ricky Paul (Shirley) Oakes, Crossville, TN, David Michael (Fannie) Oakes and Mitchell Harmon (Carolyn) Oakes, both of Pikeville; brother, Jim (Dorothy) Oakes, Crossville; sister, Betty Dean, McMinnville, TN; sisters-in-law, Clara Oakes, Dunlap and Ruth Essex, Pikeville; grandchildren, Tammy, Holly, Hunter, Lisa, Jimmy, Casey, and Paul; 13 great-grandchildren; 13 step-great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and a host of friends.
A Celebration of Paul’s Life will be held on Sunday, March 1, at 1 p.m. CST with Bro. Tim Raney and Bro. Casey Oakes officiating. Burial will be in the Blankenship Cemetery.
Pikeville Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.