Thomas Atchison Oakes, Jr. Obituary (2021

Thomas A. Oakes, Jr., 89, of Oelwein, Iowa, died on Wednesday morning, September 15, 2021, at the Buchanan County Health Center in Independence, Iowa. There will be a private family service at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. Final Resting Place: Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Rural Oelwein, Iowa. Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home, Oelwein, is assisting the family with arrangements. Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com Thomas Atchison Oakes, Jr. was born August 27, 1932, at rural Stanley, Iowa, the son of Thomas Atchison Oakes, Sr. & Susie Viola (Strawn) Oakes. He grew up in Hazleton and graduated from Hazleton High School in the class of 1951. Tom was united in marriage to Lavon Clarice Jones on March 28, 1954, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They then went on the road traveling as Tom worked for Lau Construction. They moved to Oelwein where Tom worked for Minneapolis Moline with Dick Trimble and then Tom opened Southtown Truck & Trailer Repair that he owned and operated for many years. Tom later worked for Don's Truck in Fairbank until he retired. Following retirement, he enjoyed working on cars, selling antiques and taking his '23 T Bucket to many car shows. Tom was a member of the Oelwein Hebron Masonic Lodge #374 A.F. & A.M. Left to honor Tom's memory are his 2 Daughters: Cindy Lou Oakes of Oelwein & Susan Kay (Don) Wells of Nevada; Son: Thomas Joseph "TJ" Oakes of Oelwein; 10 Grandchildren; 6 Great Grandchildren and Many Nieces, Nephews and Friends. Tom was preceded in death by his parents, wife: Lavon on May 10, 2012, daughter: Debra Ann (Oakes) Sandvig in 1996, son: David Alan Oakes in 2011; daughter-in-law: Connie Oakes in 2021; 3 sisters: Viola Russell, Marion Palmer & Virginia Lohman and 5 brothers: Ralph, Roy, Leland, Melvin & Charles.