Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home

SOUTH THOMASTON – Elizabeth F. ‘Betty’ Oakes, 66, died peacefully, Saturday, July 4, 2015 surrounded by her loving family following a brief illness at the Sussman House in Rockport.
Born in Camden, August 28, 1948, she was the daughter of Raymond D. and Virginia Dodge Scott. Educated locally, she attended Rockland school, graduating in 1966 from Rockland High School. On December 11, of that same year, Betty married her high school sweetheart, Bernard ‘Sonny’ Oakes.
Betty started her career as a bookkeeper for Sim’s Lobster, having started with them when she was just 15 years old. She later went to work for Jess Store, now known as the ‘Keag. For the majority of her career, Betty worked at Van Baalens. She stayed with the firm through its change to Nautica, working for a total of 26 years until they closed in 2000. Her career then took her to Strong Agency, where she worked as a Customer Service Representative. She worked there for 12 years until her illness forced her to stop, just days before her scheduled retirement.
Betty loved family gatherings, especially at the camp on Lermond Pond in Hope. She looked forward to an annual shopping trip to New Hampshire with her daughter and sister-in-law, and shopping and traveling with Sonny on their many trips, especially to Mardens! She loved the Christmas holiday, and took pleasure in her annual Christmas Eve party, and was especially proud to display her many holiday decorations which included a beautiful Christmas Village.
Loyal and protective with friends and family, she would back anyone whom she needed to. You always knew where you stood with Betty. She loved her children and great-grandchildren fiercely and routinely checked in with them on FaceBook or by phone, with family being able to ‘set their clocks’ by these daily connections.
Pre-deceased by her husband, Bernard ‘Sonny’ Oakes and her son, David Oakes; Betty is survived by her daughter Terry Nelsen and her husband Joe of South Thomaston; daughter-in-law, Tammy Oakes of Rockland; one sister Gini ‘Punkin’ Doyle and her husband Mike of South Thomaston; sister-in-law Susan Cran and her husband Dale of Owls Head; brothers-in-law David Oakes and his wife Maggie of Salem, N.H., Peter Oakes and his wife Sandy of Pensicola, Fl.; seven grandchildren, Holly Nelsen of Hampton, VA, Joey Nelsen, Duncan Oakes both of South Thomaston, Randi Randall and her husband Jason, Amanda Oakes and her fiancé Matt Brown, Ashley Oakes all of Rockland, Amanda Coley and her fiancé Joshua Wesling of South Greensburg, PA; five great-grandchildren, Tyler and Sophie Randall, Brady Oakes, Erica Montgomery, Donald Campbell, Jr.; nieces and nephews and their families, Steven Peasley and his wife Roxann, Kellie Bailey and her husband Bruce, Tracy Willey and her husband Jerry, Michelle Lee, April Oakes, Britany Oakes, Marie Oakes, Katie Oakes, Peter Oakes, Melvin Oakes; and her best-friend Gail Elliott of Owls Head;
Family and friends are invited to visit from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland, where a celebration of her life will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. Private interment will be at Ocean View Cemetery, South Thomaston.
Those who wish may make memorial donations to Sussman House, c/o PenBay Healthcare Foundation, 22 White Street, Rockland, Maine 04841. To share a memory or condolence with Betty’s family, please visit her Book of Memories Page at www.bchfh.com.