Carol Ann Oakes

After graduating from Lemoore High School, she went on to attend College of the Sequoias while working as a banker teller in Lemoore, California. She also worked as a teacher's aide at Hughson Elementary School and as a registrar at the Muir Trail Girl Scout Council while living in Hughson, California. After retiring, she enjoyed a life of traveling with her husband. They would choose a location to visit, and then sightsee within a day’s drive. This way they could see most of a state in one visit. Their favorite trip was to Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, and the Badlands in North Dakota.

Carol loved crosswords, Sudoku and the jumbles in the paper. Once she got started you could not interrupt. If she had an appointment and did not get them finished before she left, she would come home and finish them before going on with her day. She also loved to read and buy Legos for her grandson. She was a lifetime member of Girls Scouts of the USA. She spent many years as a troop leader and volunteering in the community.

She also loved cars, owning a PT Cruiser (Woodie edition), various Thunderbirds and a 1969 Mustang. She enjoyed watching the NHRA drag races. So much so, that during the racing season she would not accept calls from her daughters since she did not want to miss watching her favorite racers.

She was a collector of antique glassware, dolls and anything Pug related. Carol and her husband had owned several pugs, which they had bred. There was a pug that would often be found by the neighbors loose on the street and they would put the dog in their backyard, thinking it belonged there. This happened enough times that eventually they adopted that pug and named it Lucy. She also loved Santa Claus. The house was filled with Santas of all shapes and sizes at Christmas.

Carol was preceded in death by her husband Jack Oakes. She is survived by daughter Nancy (Steve) Ramos of Fresno, CA; daughter Susie (Eric) Rauch and grandson Justin of Novato, CA; and two brothers, Dave Thatcher of Lemoore, CA and Steve Thatcher of Tracy, CA.

Private services were held. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Railtown 1897 State Park at www.railtown1897.org.