William "Bill" Edwin Oakley, Sr.

William “Bill” Edwin Oakley, Sr., died on January 10, 2026, at the age of 86 in Wilmington, NC, due to complications from angiosarcoma, a form of cancer. He was born in Tampa, FL, on October 22, 1939, as the oldest child of the late Llewellyn Cardiff Oakley, Jr. and Mary Agnes Herring Oakley. Bill graduated in 1957 from Chattanooga’s McCallie School, in 1961 from Vanderbilt University with a chemical engineering degree, and in 1974 from Baruch College in New York City with an MBA.

Bill spent fourteen years working in the phosphate mining and manufacturing industry before moving to Wilmington, NC. In 1978, he became chief operating officer of Wright Chemical Corporation, and at age 65 he became an owner and the chairman of the business. He helped it expand from producing and selling three chemicals to over 400, including ingredients for hard and soft contact lenses, baby diaper tab glue, surgical glue, fuel tank coatings for the space shuttle, nerve gas decontaminate, submarine periscope lens cleaners, and plywood glue. The company’s manufacturing operations were in Acme, NC, and Scotia, NY.

In addition, Bill created Wilmington-based Quality Chemical Laboratories, a company servicing the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Other businesses Bill founded and/or chaired were Political Risk Services, Inc., a geopolitical and economic forecasting firm based in Syracuse, NY, which he and his sister Mary Lou co-owned; Sure-Gen Operations, a generator sales and service company based in Winnabow, NC; Sleepybear, a food-grade and chemical tank trailer leasing company based in Columbia, SC; and Alabama Pecan Nursery, a pecan tree nursery based in Franklin, AL. He was proud of being able to create many jobs.

Bill also served as chairman of the Chemical & Specialties Management Council and board member of both the US Business and Industry Council and the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association.

Locally, he was senior warden of Wilmington’s St. James Episcopal Church, president of Cape Fear Country Club, president of the Friends of the Battleship North Carolina, president of Wilmington’s Episcopal Counseling Center, and board member of the YMCA of Southeastern NC.

Bill was issued one patent, received the 2003 American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ best chemical executive award, and inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma’s business honor society. He also wrote and published several genealogy books. Bill is a graduate of the US Army War College and served as a colonel in the US Army.

Additionally, Bill was highly involved in philanthropic giving both locally and nationally, helping to endow college scholarships at UNCW, Vanderbilt University, Stetson University, and Florida State University. He also donated funds and countless volunteer hours to local churches, schools, the YMCA, and various non-profit organizations.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of fifty years, Mary Jo Peck Oakley. He is survived by his daughter, Mary Alysia Oakley, and her wife, Sharon “Sheri” Lorraine Mahoney; son, William “Will” Edwin Oakley, Jr., and his wife, Dr. Jennifer “Jenn” Lauren Oakley; two grandchildren, Joseph William Oakley and Bryn Mary Oakley; his sister, Mary Lou Oakley Walsh, her husband, Thomas “Tom” Henry Walsh, Jr., and three nieces, Marran Walsh Samples, Terri Kathleen Walsh, and Catherine Ann Walsh.

A funeral service will be held at Mt. Lebanon Chapel on Friday, January 23, at 1:00 PM. In the case of inclement weather, the service will be at St. James Episcopal Church. Please check stjamesp.org for updated details. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. James Episcopal Church, 25 South 3rd Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 or the YMCA of Southeastern NC.