Rosa Oakley

Whitsett, NC Rosa Elma Turner Oakley, age 93, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, January 27, 2012 at her home surrounded by her family. She was a native of Person County and the wife of the late John Isaac Oakley. Rosa retired from Southeast High School in Guilford County where she worked in the school cafeteria. She was a longtime member of Mt. Hope United Church of Christ where she taught Sunday School for many years. Rosa served on the Search Committee, Education Committee and as Chairperson of the Altar Guild. She was a loving and devoted Christian mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Survivors include her daughters, Joyce Oakley Hammons and her husband, Jim of Winston Salem, Judy Oakley Gerner and her husband, Bennie of Julian and Teresa Oakley of Durham; sons, Howard G. Oakley of Belmont and Gerald N. Oakley and his wife, Sarah Lane of Sunset Beach, NC; nine grandchildren and fifteen great grandchildren, one great great grandchild. .She was preceded in death by her husband, John Isaac Oakley and her son, Donald Ray Oakley and a grandson, Jonathan Gerner; daughter-in-law, Judy Johnson Oakley; parents, James Thornton Turner and Addie Walker Turner, three sisters and six brothers. The family of Rosa Oakley would like to thank her caregivers, Sue Durham and Judy Lundsford and Vicky Barnett with Hospice for their kind and compassionate care over the past months. A service to celebrate her life will be held on Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. at Mt. Hope United Church of Christ by Rev. Lloyd Spencer and Rev. Kristen Gerner-Vaughn and the burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3 until 5 p.m. on Saturday at Lowe Funeral Home and Crematory and other times at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Bennie Gerner of Julian. Memorials may be made to Mt. Hope United Church of Christ, 2400 Mt. Hope Church Road, Whitsett, NC 27377 or Hospice and Palliative Care of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215. You may sign the online register book at www.lowefuneralhome.com