Mabel French Oakes

(Courier News)

MABEL FRENCH OAKES
AGE: 100 PLAINFIELD
Mabel French Oakes, age 100, of Plainfield, died Saturday (Aug. 30, 2008).
A private graveside service was held for Mrs. Oakes on Friday, Sept. 9. She had been a resident of Seneca Manor in West Seneca, N.Y., since January, 2005.
Predeceased by her husband, survivors include two sons, Alan P. of Altamonte Springs, Fla., and Kirk of Madison, and their wives; a daughter, Nancy Oakes of East Aurora, N.Y.; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She is also survived by the youngest of her four siblings, Ruth Schoonmaker of Pinehurst, N.C.
She was educated in a rural one-room school and later graduated from Bound Brook High School and Trenton Normal School, Class of 1929. She taught several years before marrying Alpheus Oakes who was employed by PSEG. They settled in Plainfield and raised their three children. During those years, she was involved in many civic activities: a children's storytelling program on start-up radio station WERA and participated in a pilot reading program for early educational television Channel 19, WTLV, at Rutgers. She belonged to St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Plainfield and later Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Westfield. She was a member of the Plainfield Symphony Society; the National Society of the Colonial Dames in America; Drake House; New Jersey Historical Society; Friends of the Plainfield Library and the Wyckoff Association of America.
She was a loving wife, mother and dear friend to many. She will be remembered for her generous spirit, love of life and strong religious faith. She will be missed by all.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your charity of choice.