Laura Daughdrill Oakes

Laura Joyce Daughdrill Oakes, 91, passed peacefully on October 29, 2022. Mrs. Oakes was born on 12/9/1930, to Arby Gaugh Daughdrill and John Disque Daughdrill in Etowah County Alabama. She was a graduate of Etowah County High School in Attalla AL and attended Sneed College in Boaz, AL. She joined the U.S. Airforce during the Korean War in 1951 and was honorably discharged in 1953. She went to basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio TX and served in SAC (Strategic Air Command) at Topeka KS and Rapid City SD. While serving in South Dakota, she met and Dale D. Oakes, of Wisconsin. Mrs. Oakes and her husband resided in Gadsden AL then Rockford IL before moving to Florida in 1970. She was the owner, proprietor of the Village Market Shopping Center in Lanark Village before she relocated to Crawfordville. During her years in Crawfordville she was employed by DCF as an in-home caregiver, and later at the Wakulla County Extension Office / Soil Conservation Center. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Crawfordville where she enjoyed her Sunday School class of the senior ladies (Ya-Ya sisters). She frequented several other churches in Crawfordville over the decades, enjoying Pioneer Baptist, Ivan Assembly and Tower Pentecostal Holiness, making many, many treasured friends. She was preceded in death by her late husband Dale D. Oakes, her brother Howard Leon Daughdrill of Gadsden AL and nephew John S. Stephens Jr. of Gadsden AL. She leaves behind loving family members who were the joy of her life. One sister, Mildred Daughdrill Stephens of Gadsden AL; two nieces, Donna Stephens Collins Holm (husband Steve) of Tampa FL and Laura Stephens Vernon Taylor of Crawfordville FL; one nephew, Charles E. Stephens of El Pasco TX; six great-nephews, Christopher B. Stephens of Crawfordville FL, James D. Vernon of Crawfordville FL, Joseph D. Vernon (wife Jamie) of Greensborough FL, Kennedy Collins (wife Heather) of Chicago IL, Coleman Collins (wife Sedona) of Chicago IL, Luke A. Taylor of Crawfordville FL; two great-grand-nieces, Anabella G. Vernon and Cecilia R. Vernon; and five great-grand-nephews Matthew Cook (wife Jackie), Joshua Cook, Noah J. Vernon, Alexander M. Taylor and Dallas R. Taylor. Visitation will be Thursday November 3, 2022 from 4 to 6 pm, at Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Crawfordville FL. Funeral will be a graveside service on Friday November 4, 2022 at 1 pm at Whiddon Lake cemetery, Pastor David Fell presiding. Skip and Trey Young are assisting the family with arrangements. (850-926-5919, www.familyfhc,com)

Laura Daughdrill Oakes

December 9, 1930 - October 29, 2022