Cecil Woodson Oakes was born in the Hesterville Community of Attala County, Mississippi, on January 12, 1933.
After a long and productive life, which included a 20-year career of military service in the United States Air Force, he retired and returned home to care for his parents and continued to serve his community and church until he died on May 26, 2018, from congestive heart failure, just 50 feet from the place of his birth, on land belonging to his family for over 150 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Augustus S. Oakes and Edna Edmundson Oakes; sisters, Augusta Oakes Craft and Martha Oakes Rainey; one brother, Donald Oakes; and great-granddaughter, Emma Grace Oakes.
Cecil is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Clovis Faye Oakes; daughters, Janet Robison (Frank) and Jeannie Herod (Randy); sons, Timothy Oakes (Marian) and Paul Brian Oakes (Debby); nineteen grandchildren; and thirty-five great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be his eight grandsons, Jeremy McDaniel, Chase Hughes, Patrick Hughes, Kenneth Oakes, Justin McDaniel, Jed McDaniel, Dillion Oakes, and Michael Oakes.
Visitation was Monday, May 28, at Jordan Funeral Home in Kosciusko. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Jordan Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow in Brister Cemetery.
If you wish, in lieu of flowers, please donate Bibles to the Gideons International in memory of Cecil W. Oakes.
Online condolences can be made at jordanfuneralhome.com.
