Carolaine Dorothy Oakes

She grew up in Chilliwack, attending Robertson School and graduating from CHS, which is now CJSS building. Dorothy was an avid basketball player and tells stories of roller skating out to Sardis to play basketball. Sardis seemed to be the hub of basketball in the ‘30’s. Upon graduation she moved to New Westminster, living with her cousin, Clarice, and entered Nursing School. Rheumatic fever ended her nursing career after only 6 months and then she moved on to her lifelong career of baking and cooking for others. Her father built her “The Collegiate” across from what was then CHS and she spent 2 years baking pies every morning and running the café. The Collegiate remained a favourite CHS hangout for the next 40 years and has so many memories for CHS alumni. While continuing on with her basketball, she met and married her coach, Lloyd Oakes, on August 24, 1940 and they remained together for 43 years until his death in 1984. Dorothy has 3 children, a daughter, Carla and twin boys, Fred and Gord. Her life revolved around home and family, although she always had a part-time job somewhere. She spent countless hours driving her children up to Cultus Lake for Swim Club practice, one day making the trip 3 times because the water was too cold to get a whole workout in. She and Lloyd were always at swimming, softball, basketball, and hockey events her children were involved in, so supportive of all the teams. When her children left home she supported the Chilliwack Women’s Softball, following them on many road trips. Camping was another favourite pastime, especially if it involved going with the grandkids, many trips in the big, yellow, converted van. Dorothy worked for many years as the ticket seller at the Chilliwack Coliseum when it was first opened in 1958 and shortly after that began curling which continued on until she was 80. She was very proud to be on the Senior Ladies team that went to the Provincials in 1982. Besides baking her famous pies, Dorothy loved to garden and often said she wished she had taken agriculture. She continued mowing and rototilling her yard until she was 87 and decided it was time to move to an apartment and then on to assisted living at the Waverly Senior’s Village where she passed away suddenly on October 7, 2011.

She is survived by her daughter, Carla Furman (Art) of Custer, WA, sons Fred Oakes (Terry) of Princeton, BC and Gord Oakes (Glenna) of Chilliwack, 6 grandchildren, Tyler Regier, Kara Leahy (Ken), Danielle Jorgenson (Tim), Amanda Oakes, Lindsay Oakes (Colin), Taylor Oakes (Shoshanna), and 5 great-grandchildren, Carter, Paige, Elliot, Sydney and Rylan. She was predeceased by her husband, Lloyd, her sister, Helen Blair and her brother, Howard Ratzman.

A private memorial service is being planned for Saturday, October 15th 2011 followed by an Open House at the Chilliwack Curling Club, 9291 Corbould Street, Chilliwack, at 3:00 p.m.

Thank-you to the staff at the Waverly for their caring attention to our mother’s needs. They have been so supportive. If friends so desire, donations may be made to the BC Heart Association.

Mom, Grandma, and Great-gram you are so missed.

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Dorothy passed away suddenly on October 7th 2011 in her 95th year. She was a lifelong resident of Chilliwack, BC. She and her identical twin sister were born March 8th 1917 to Carl and Gerda Ratzman, the first twins born in the Chilliwack General Hospital. She grew up in Chilliwack, attending Robertson School and graduating from CHS. Upon graduation she moved to New Westminster and entered Nursing School. Rheumatic fever ended her nursing career after only 6 months. She then moved back to Chilliwack and opened up “The Collegiate” across from the High School and began baking her famous pies for the next two years. The Collegiate remained a favourite CHS hangout for the next forty years and holds many memories for CHS alumni. Dorothy was active in many sports growing up, but basketball was her main one and while playing on the Sardis team she met and married the coach. Lloyd Oakes on August 24th 1940. They remained together for 43 years until his death in 1984. Dorothy has 3 children, a daughter, Carla and twin boys, Fred and Gord. Her life revolved around home and family, although she always had a part-time job and helped care for their large vegetable garden, canning and freezing as much as she could. She spent countless hours driving her children to various sporting events; swimming, softball, basketball, and hockey. She loved the Chilliwack Women’s Softball team and followed them on several road trips. Fishing and camping were favourite past-times, especially if it involved going with the grandkids. There were many road trips in the big, yellow van.

Dorothy worked for many years as the ticket seller at the Chilliwack Coliseum when it was first opened in 1958. Shortly thereafter, she began curling, which continued until she was 80 years old. She was very proud to be on the Senior Ladies team that went to the Provincials in 1980. She continued mowing and rototilling her yard until she was 87 and decided it was time to move to an apartment and then on to assisted living at the Waverly Seniors Village where she passed away suddenly.

She is survived by her daughter, Carla Furman (Art) of Custer, WA, sons Fred Oakes (Terry) of Princeton, BC and Gord Oakes of Chilliwack, 6 grandchildren, Tyler Regier, Kara Leahy (Ken), Danielle Jorgenson (Tim), Amanda Oakes, Lindsay Oakes, Taylor Oakes (Shoshanna), and 5 great-grandchildren, Carter, Paige, Elliot, Sydney and Rylan. She was predeceased by her husband, Lloyd, her sister, Helen Blair and her brother, Howard Ratzman.

Mom, Grandma, and Great-gram you are so missed.