Obituary of Eugene E. Oakley

Eugene E. Oakleyof Apalachin, N.Y. Eugene E. Oakley, of Apalachin, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, December 24, 2008. Gene is survived by his wife of 65 years, Betty H. (VanBuskirk) Oakley, Apalachin; his son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Sherri, Vestal, N.Y.; his daughter and son-in-law, Darlene and Jim Morris, Owego, N.Y.; his daughters, Bonnie Oakley, Endicott, N.Y., and Donna Tarsia, Owego; his son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Alice, Newark Valley, N.Y.; his daughter, Marietta Salamida, Endicott; two sisters, Thelma Button, Columbia, S.C., and Helen Proctor, Warwick, N.Y.; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Paul and Dolores, Liberty, Pa., and Louis and Joan, Covington, Pa.; and sister-in-law, Helen Oakley, Nicholson, Pa. He was predeceased by his parents, Herbert J. and Dorothy H. (Snyder) Oakley; and his brothers, Hilbert, Ivan, and Glenn Oakley. Grandpa was loved dearly by his 22 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Gene graduated with Honors from Nicholson High School in 1941. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1942, and was stationed with the 8th Air Force in Ipswich, England in 1942 - 1943 as a left waist gunner on the B-17 "Lil' Butch". While in service to his country, Staff Sergeant Oakley was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. When he returned home from WWII, he began his career with the Bell Telephone Company in Binghamton, N.Y. as a lineman and retired as a respected engineer in 1982 after 36 years of service. Gene was also a dedicated leader of Boy Scout Troop 32 in Apalachin for 15 years, and supported weekends and summers at Camp Gardener and Camp Barton, as well as Boy Scout Jamborees. As a Scout Leader, he influenced many Scouts in strengthening their character and values towards good citizenship, and as a result received many commendations and awards for his contributions. The family will receive friends at the Apalachin United Methodist Church on Tuesday, December 30 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Gene's memory may be made to the Apalachin United Methodist Church, 303 Pennsylvania Avenue, PO Box 355, Apalachin, N.Y. 13732; or to the Boy Scouts of America, Baden-Powell Council, 2150 NYS Route 12, Binghamton, N.Y. 13901. The funeral service will be held in Nicholson, Pa. in the spring of 2009.