VAN BUREN — Judith Iva (Sanders) Oakley was born on Carter Creek just North of Van Buren March 3, 1942 and went to the big classroom in the sky May 23. 2021.
Judy was united in marriage to Gene Oakley Oct. 28, 1961, in the Methodist Church in Perryville, Missouri. She was blessed to become the mother of Pam (Oakley) Dorris and the grandmother of Blake and Brianna Dorris. Judy was also mother to James Wesley Oakley who died in infancy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Ancil (Cowin) Sanders and two brothers, Curtis Sanders and Harold Sanders. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Gene Oakley, their daughter Pam, and her grandchildren, Blake and Brianna Dorris, who were the loves of her life, and one brother, Keith Sanders, as well as many nieces, nephews, and other relatives who will mourn her passing.
To say she was selfless is an understatement. Her care for others surpassed that for herself and she was devoted many hours and years to taking care of others, whether that be family or the countless number of students she considered her kids. Judy was a dedicated, consummate educator, who cared for every child that she met. She devoted herself to helping children reach the potential that all too often only she could see. Her odyssey through education began in the one room Carter Creek schoolhouse where Red Williams and Ms. Strong created a love of learning that would last a lifetime. Judy graduated from Van Buren High School and went on to Southeast Missouri State University where she earned BS, MA, and Specialist degrees, not for the letters and titles after her name, but to better serve the children whose lives she touched every day. Over the 30 plus years in education, Judy taught every age of young people from Kindergarten through college students, in schools throughout the region, but considered Van Buren schools her home and had a long career as both a teacher and school administrator.
She loved the community she was raised in and had a true heart for making it better, giving freely of her time to help anyway she could. To know Judy was to know that she was not one to seek outwardly credit, but one of her proudest accomplishments and one that brought her much joy, was being a big part of the founding of the Van Buren Community Center, acting as chairman of the Board and grant writer leading to its establishment. She enjoyed the giving of her time and for thirteen years delivered meals for the Nutrition Center, something she was desperately hoping to do again, and was active in numerous other activities and events in the community she loved.
Her devotion to education and community was overshadowed only by her love for her husband Gene, her daughter Pam, and in her eyes, the two best grandchildren in the world, Blake and Brianna. Her presence in this world made everything a little better and brighter and she will be terribly missed.
A visitation will be held from 3-6 p.m. Friday, May 28, 2021 in the McSpadden Funeral Home with a casual potluck during that time in the lounge of the funeral home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Van Buren Community Center P.O. Box 462 Van Buren, MO. 63965