Obituary for Shirley Lou Oaks
Shirley Lou Oaks was born on October 5, 1934 in Midland, MI to Arthur Nobel Kauffman and Minnie (Yoder) Kauffman. Shirley is survived by her daughter, Jodi (Matt) Guillotel, grandchildren, Leif and Soleil of Pacifica, CA, sister, Betty Swartzentruber of Turner, MI, brother, Larry (Lois) Kauffman of Lancaster, PA, and sisters-in-law Bernice Kauffman of Archbold, OH and Mildred Kauffman of Turner, MI. She is also survived by sister-in-law, Pat Tucker, 4 stepchildren and 9 step grandchildren and 3 step great grandchildren. In addition to her parents, Shirley was preceded in death by her husband of 19 years, Jim Oaks, and siblings Archie Kauffman, Delmar Kauffman, Mamie Kauffman, Willard Kauffman, Herman Kauffman, and brother-in-law, Sam Swartzentruber and sisters-in-law, Ruth Kauffman, Elizabeth Kauffman and Irene Kauffman.
Shirley attended Berlin Bible School in her early 20s and that is when a beautiful friendship began for a total of 7 women who continued a circle letter to the present time. Shirley worked as a housekeeper for a few years and then attended Eastern Mennonite College in Virginia for secretarial studies. She worked at Dow Chemical in Midland as a secretary.
In the mid 70s she moved to Grayling, MI where she had her daughter, Jodi, and worked at Mercy Hospital in medical records. She then moved to the Au Gres area for a short time and worked as a waitress before settling down in East Tawas, MI where she worked at Tawas Hospital in medical records and raised Jodi.
Shirley married Jim Oaks in 1993 and moved to Perrinton, MI where she enjoyed spending time in the country and taking long walks on the country roads. Shirley and Jim moved to Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. They loved to drive around the East Coast exploring and having adventures. They loved the rolling hills, countryside and rich Mennonite and Amish culture that Pennsylvania provided. Shirley moved back to Michigan in 2013 after Jim passed away following a brief battle with cancer in 2012.
She enjoyed playing the piano. She also loved singing and had a rich alto voice and could direct music and keep the music flowing right along. She liked many types of music: hymns, gospel, classical, country and western and really enjoyed The Messiah at Christmas time.
Shirley loved talking, quilting, sewing, and shopping! While growing up, she and her family spoke Pennsylvania Dutch at home and they continued this tradition for special conversations when the Kauffman family would get together. She was very particular with her house, clothes and appearance. She loved beautiful dishes: antique, vintage and new. She also loved all pie, fried mush with apple butter, Chinese food, and potatoes any style, anytime, anywhere. Shirley loved to converse and really get to know people. She had an outgoing personality and truly cared about people and their families.
Shirley loved to travel and explore! She traveled around Europe in her younger years. She also did a long road trip along Highway 1 on the West Coast before having Jodi. While Jodi was at home, they traveled frequently and she gave her daughter the deep love of travel also. She jetted at least annually out to Pacifica, CA to visit her daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren and grand dog. In Shirley's later years, Joe and Charlene drove Shirley, Betty and Mildred, the three of them affectionately known as the Daisies, on exciting road trips to Western Michigan, a Southern trip to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia, and a two-week trip to New England.
Shirley had heart surgery in 2012 and then enjoyed many years of good health until her heart began to weaken again in 2019. She was small but mighty; despite all the procedures and issues where she would get knocked down, she was always one to keep getting back up and try again to the very end.
Above all and most importantly, Shirley loved the Lord. She loved to study Daniel and Revelations on the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. She was a member of Chambersburg Mennonite Church in Pennsylvania and Riverside Mennonite Church in Au Gres, MI.
Funeral Services for Shirley will be held Monday, July 12, at 11 a.m. at Riverside Mennonite Church, 3620 E. Twining Road, Turner, with Pastors Ron and Lyle Swartz officiating. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the church. A luncheon will follow the service at the church. Interment will take place in Midland City Cemetery at a later date.
Memorial contributions will be designated to the Riverside Mennonite Church , P.O. Box 498, Au Gres, MI 48703.
Shirley attended Berlin Bible School in her early 20s and that is when a beautiful friendship began for a total of 7 women who continued a circle letter to the present time. Shirley worked as a housekeeper for a few years and then attended Eastern Mennonite College in Virginia for secretarial studies. She worked at Dow Chemical in Midland as a secretary.
In the mid 70s she moved to Grayling, MI where she had her daughter, Jodi, and worked at Mercy Hospital in medical records. She then moved to the Au Gres area for a short time and worked as a waitress before settling down in East Tawas, MI where she worked at Tawas Hospital in medical records and raised Jodi.
Shirley married Jim Oaks in 1993 and moved to Perrinton, MI where she enjoyed spending time in the country and taking long walks on the country roads. Shirley and Jim moved to Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. They loved to drive around the East Coast exploring and having adventures. They loved the rolling hills, countryside and rich Mennonite and Amish culture that Pennsylvania provided. Shirley moved back to Michigan in 2013 after Jim passed away following a brief battle with cancer in 2012.
She enjoyed playing the piano. She also loved singing and had a rich alto voice and could direct music and keep the music flowing right along. She liked many types of music: hymns, gospel, classical, country and western and really enjoyed The Messiah at Christmas time.
Shirley loved talking, quilting, sewing, and shopping! While growing up, she and her family spoke Pennsylvania Dutch at home and they continued this tradition for special conversations when the Kauffman family would get together. She was very particular with her house, clothes and appearance. She loved beautiful dishes: antique, vintage and new. She also loved all pie, fried mush with apple butter, Chinese food, and potatoes any style, anytime, anywhere. Shirley loved to converse and really get to know people. She had an outgoing personality and truly cared about people and their families.
Shirley loved to travel and explore! She traveled around Europe in her younger years. She also did a long road trip along Highway 1 on the West Coast before having Jodi. While Jodi was at home, they traveled frequently and she gave her daughter the deep love of travel also. She jetted at least annually out to Pacifica, CA to visit her daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren and grand dog. In Shirley's later years, Joe and Charlene drove Shirley, Betty and Mildred, the three of them affectionately known as the Daisies, on exciting road trips to Western Michigan, a Southern trip to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia, and a two-week trip to New England.
Shirley had heart surgery in 2012 and then enjoyed many years of good health until her heart began to weaken again in 2019. She was small but mighty; despite all the procedures and issues where she would get knocked down, she was always one to keep getting back up and try again to the very end.
Above all and most importantly, Shirley loved the Lord. She loved to study Daniel and Revelations on the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ. She was a member of Chambersburg Mennonite Church in Pennsylvania and Riverside Mennonite Church in Au Gres, MI.
Funeral Services for Shirley will be held Monday, July 12, at 11 a.m. at Riverside Mennonite Church, 3620 E. Twining Road, Turner, with Pastors Ron and Lyle Swartz officiating. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the church. A luncheon will follow the service at the church. Interment will take place in Midland City Cemetery at a later date.
Memorial contributions will be designated to the Riverside Mennonite Church , P.O. Box 498, Au Gres, MI 48703.