yesterday's tennessee

Louise Oakley Obituary

Jackson Sun, Monday, April 20, 1998

Obituaries

Louise Oakley

Services for Mary Louise Oakley, born March 26, 1909, will be held in the Chapel of Lawrence-Sorensen Funeral Home at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday with Dr. Jerry Tidwell officiating with burial in Lexington Cemetery. She was the eldest child of Nuit Rush Oakley and Carlie Page Oakley.

Miss Oakley died Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. at Northbrooke Health Care Center.

Miss Oakley was a retired educator with fifty years of service to the schools of Tennessee. She taught in all grades 1-12, served as Special Teacher of Reading in Shelby County and Humboldt, and in three colleges: Union University, West Tennessee State Teachers College (now University of Memphis), and Jackson State Community College. She retired as Assistant Professor of Education from Jackson State Community College in 1976.

She served as a supervisor of instruction for twenty-six years, having been elected as one of the youngest and one of the first supervisors in the Henderson County Schools in 1935. She was also the first supervisor of Union City schools, the second supervisor of Madison County Schools, and Supervisor of twenty-one West Tennessee Counties with the State Department of Education. She was considered a leader in the field of instructional planning and curriculum development.

She became a State Member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, the largest honorary organization for women teachers in 1936 and remained a state member until Theta Chapter was organized in Jackson. She was a charter member of the Theta Chapter, Jackson, Omicron Chapter, Lexington, and as State President. She organized eight new chapters in West Tennessee, and in 19976 received the highest honor that Delta Kappa Gamma bestows, the State Achievement Award. She was the guiding force in the publication of the book, "Light From Many Candles".

She was listed in Who's Who in American Education, Who's Who of American Women, Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Roster of Women in Education, Who's Who in the South and Southwest and in Personalities of the South.

She was a member of the National Educational Education Association, and an active worker in the Jackson-Madison County Retired Teachers Association. She was a member of the West Jackson Baptist Church, a teacher of a Woman's Class in Lexington First Baptist Church for many years. She was librarian of West Tennessee Baptist Church, 1982-1990, and a Grey Lady at the Jackson-Madison County Hospital for 12 years.

She is survived by one sister, Faye Oakley of Jackson, and one brother, James Rush Oakley and wife Maxine of Birmingham, Alabama, and two nieces, Carla Millstead and family, and Linda Bryant and family, both of Birmingham, Alabama.

She was preceded in death by two sisters, Imogene Oakley Poston and Corinne Oakley.

Pallbearers asked to serve are: Bobby Hart, Billy Futrell, Marion Smothers, Ray Scott, John Bryant and Homer Cagle.

Honorary Pallbearers asked to serve are: Johnny Hinton, Ray Blankenship, Gordon Parkinson, Paul Garner and Dr. Lamb Myhr. Louise Oakley Sunday School Class are asked to sit together as a group.

Friends may visit with the family from 4:30 to 8 p.m. today at the Funeral Home.

(Lawrence-Sorensen Funeral Home, 424-2424)