Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 17, 1995 TAG: 9502170037
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Oakey graduated from Roanoke College in 1929, just as the Great Depression began.
In a 1990 Roanoke Times & World-News story about his work, he said, ``I started out about as low as you could get, on a salary of $15 a week for 80 to 100 hours a week.''
He spent 60 years in the funeral home business his grandfather - also named John M. Oakey - had founded in 1866. He served as secretary, treasurer, vice president and president of the company, as well as chairman of the board.
Much of Oakey's life was family-oriented. He was named Roanoke's Father of the Year in family life in 1963.
He said then that he looked forward to grandchildren, ``the more the better.''
He is survived by nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Oakey's son Sam G. Oakey II said Thursday that his father was ``a good, all-around dad.''
``He really loved his grandchildren, and they loved him,'' Sam Oakey said. ``They called him `Pops.' Six of them [live] out of town, and they would get in their car and drive to see him in the nursing home.''
Sam Oakey became president of Oakey's Funeral Service in 1980. He took over as chairman of the board after his father had a stroke in 1991 and could no longer attend board meetings.
``He was a kind, gentle person,'' he said of his father. ``Any one of the 98 employees on our staff would attest to that.
``He had lots of stories to tell. Like working 65 days in a row during a flu epidemic.''
Oakey's Funeral Service is thought to be the oldest continuously operating business in the Roanoke Valley.
Despite the many hours each week required by the business, Oakey found time to be involved in many organizations.
He was a member of the South Roanoke United Methodist Church and served on its board. He was a member of the Roanoke Life Saving Crew from 1943-77 and vice president of the organization.
He also served as president of the Optimist Club in 1940 and the Executive Club in 1950. He was selected as president of the Virginia Funeral Directors Association in 1955 and served in the same capacity for the Virginia State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers in 1962-63.
Oakey is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mildred Urquhart Oakey, and their three children: Sam Oakey, John M. Oakey Jr. and Gayle O. Hancock.
His funeral will be Saturday at noon at Oakey's Roanoke Chapel.
by CNB