She graduated from Glenbard West High School. Always interested in music, she moved west and completed a technical degree in sound engineering. She lived for several years in the Los Angeles area, managing the Little Tokyo loft building, then returned to Arizona in 2010. Working in property management in both CA and AZ, she found a work family of people she loved at the Hallmark Group in Tucson.
Emily is survived by her mother Jean Bevier of Santa Rosa, CA, her sister Allison Oakley Erkkila (Leif) and her niece Etta Jean Erkkila of Santa Rosa, CA; her stepfather Stephen Springer (Joanna) of Wheaton, IL; her stepbrother Sean Springer (Erin) of Naperville, IL; and her longtime partner Carlos Araujo of Tucson, AZ. She was preceded in death by her father Leslie H. Oakley.
Emily was a talented artist and musician. She possessed a genuinely sweet nature and a wonderful and biting sense of humor. Emily will be cherished forever by all who knew and loved her.
The family encourages her friends to share memories and photos on this page.
A celebration of Emily’s life will be held at the Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 11 am. in the Thornhill Education Center, Arbor Room on the west side of the arboretum.
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