Gretna…..Maurice Fulton Oakes, age 82 of Gretna died on October 6, 2011. He was born in Pittsylvania County on November 12, 1928. He was the son of the late A. Fulton Oakes and Hazel Watson Oakes.
After graduating from Gretna High School in 1946 he attended Hampden Sydney College where he played baseball and basketball, and was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity.
He served five years in the US Army with the 317th Quartermaster in Baumholder, Germany. While in the service he was a member of the camp football and baseball teams, and was the NCO in charge of the Battalion's athletics.
After the army he returned to Gretna where he was employed by Mecklenburg Electric for 14 years before beginning his career with New York Life Insurance Company. While working with New York Life he earned his CLU degree, was a member of the Danville Life Underwriters Association, and was a member of the Danville Estate Planning Council. He retired from New York Life in 2001.
He was a faithful member of Piney Fork Baptist Church and through the years he served as trustee, deacon, Sunday School Superintendent, and Sunday school teacher.
He was an active resident of the Gretna community where he was at various times a member of many organizations including the Red Cross as an instructor, Gretna Lions Club, Gretna Merchants Association, Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, Gretna Chamber of Commerce, and the American Legion Post 232.
He loved sports and as a young man he played semi-pro baseball for several years, was a VHSL baseball umpire, VHSL basketball referee, and an avid golfer. His love of golf continued throughout his life. He was a member of Cedars Country Club serving one term as President and was a member of the Virginia State Golf Association. In addition to the many regional tournaments in which he played, he played in the U.S. Challenge Golf Championship in Memphis, TN, and as an amateur in the Professional Gold Coast Tournament. He was twice runner up in the Virginia State Senior Amateur tournament in Hot Springs, VA, and qualified as a state of Virginia representative in the U.S. Senior Amateur Golf tournament in 1990 which he was played in Phoenix, Arizona where he advanced to the championship round.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ruth Turner Oakes of Gretna; his daughter, Ellen Oakes Dodson and her husband Bob Dodson of Altavista; two grandsons Jon Dodson of West Palm Beach, FL, and Chris Dodson of Berea, KY; three brothers, Robert Oakes and his wife Hallie of Gretna, Dwight Oakes and his wife Christine of Gretna, and Tracy Oakes and his wife Lenna Lee of Chatham; three sisters, Jean Cannington and her husband Fred of Buford GA, Nancy Jones and her husband Robert of Hurt, and Janice Newcomb and her husband James of Danville; sisters-in-law, Kathleen Marshall of Blacksburg, and Louise Cundiff of Lexington; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.
A celebration of his life will be held at Piney Fork Baptist Church on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 3:00 P.M. by Rev. Ernest G. Roebuck, and Rev. Dr. Roy Ford, followed by interment in Carl O. Moran Memorial Garden with Military Honors by the Virginia National Guard, Honor Guard. The family will receive friends at Colbert-Moran Funeral Home on Saturday, October 8, 2011 from 7 to 8:30 P.M., and other times will be at the residence, 711 Leftwich Street, Gretna.
Memorials may be made to the Gretna Fire Department, Gretna Rescue Squad, or to Piney Fork Baptist Church
Colbert-Moran Funeral Home, Gretna is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.colbertmoran.com.