William "Bill" Edwin Oakley, Sr.

As one of the daughters of Hugh and Betty Anne Guthrie( his first cousin) , I share in a pale fraction of your loss- reading his obituary, I have a deeper understanding of why he and my father were such close friends. His love of family history is contagious. On my coffee table is a carved checkerboard with the initials of his grandfather carved into it- I need to confirm that in the Harris genealogy and history that he so diligently created for all of us. And lastly, once when he and your...

Reading Bill’s obituary I am so amazed by his accomplishments and the scope of his impact. I did not know so much of this- he was so humble and always asking about you, not talking about himself. He was kind and generous- a truly lovely man. I am so sad I was unable to be at the funeral to say goodbye to him and tell his family he was important to meHis family tree work culminating in a beautiful book about our Harris and Oakley families is such a treasure and was yet another huge piece of...

Many did not know that Bill was an Eagle Scout.
I saw him follow the Boy Scout Slogan, “do a good turn daily.”

A good turn is doing something not expected for someone else and not expecting anything in return.Bill lived the Boy Scout Slogan.

Mr. Oakley was a true gentleman. He was a kind, witty, generous man who shared wisdom and knowledge to those willing to listen. He could be tough without being overbearing. If he asked you a question about the business or the process, it more to see what you knew not so much to enlighten him. He was caring and shared his talents and blessing with others. He very often helped many of the associates here, i ncluding myself, when they were in need. He left an impressive legacy of which his...

What an honor to have spent time with Bill in recent years. He joined our men's "dinner out" group and added an unassuming but wicked sense of humor despite the physical hurdles he faced. A true conversationalist, he had a unique understanding of human nature, history and the world. His dedication to family was paramount with his lifetime family photo collection and his attention and dedication to Mary Jo's final resting place. My Christian beliefs assure me that Bill and Mary Jo are...

Although I only knew of Bill through my father John Bowen Oakley the third I have enjoyed the incredible book he wrote about our family. Praying for you all and sending the best from the Oakley family.

Bill was a person of high integrity and avoided praise for himself. He was a great friend and business associate for many years.

One great guy sorry for your loss