Miss Elwanda Faye Oakes, age 68 of Vernon, AL, passed away Tuesday, April 30, 2013, at Valley View Nursing Home in Madison, AL.

Miss Oakes was born April 30, 1945, in Vernon, AL, to the late Esker Lee and Virgie Oakes. She was also preceded in death by her sister and brother-in-law, Elderedge and Clyde Motes.

Miss Oakes graduated from Lamar County High School in 1963 and then received her BS degree in Biology and Chemistry in 1967 from UNA and her Masters in Zoology and Botany in 1972 from Mississippi State University while working as a Teacher's Assistant. She later attended the University of Alabama and Mississippi State to get Alabama Teacher Certification on the Masters' Level in Education in 1976. Miss Oakes taught at Fayette High School from January 1967, to May 1968, Winona High School from 1971-1977 where she was a star teacher, and Sulligent High School from 1977-2003 where she received a 4-H Leadership Award. Miss Oakes taught Adult Education classes for Lamar County from 1993-2003. She became an Adult Education Instructor for Bevill State Community College in 2003.

Miss Oakes held many prestigious honors: a member and former Vice-President and President of Psi Chapter of Alabama Alpha Delta Kappa and was serving as Chaplain and Fraternity Education Committee Chairman; Northwest District Chairman of Alabama Alpha Delta Kappa from 2006-2008; former District III Chairman and Secretary of the Alabama Federated Music Clubs and was presently serving as Vice-President of the Fayette Music Club; former Bankhead District Director of the Alabama Divistion of the United Daughters of the Confederacy from 2002-2008; former President and Vice-President of the Samuel J. Shields Chapter and was presently serving as Second Vice-President; and Lamar County Retired Teachers Association member and was the former Vice-President from 2002-2004 and President from 2004-2006 and Membership Chairman since 2006.

Miss Oakes was a member and clerk of the First Freewill Baptist Church in Vernon and was the assistant clerk of the Vernon Freewill Baptist Association. She taught Adult Women's Sunday School and was also the Teen & Junior CTS teacher. She was also a member of the church choir and former co-pianist/organist; a member of the Children's Church Team and Faith Weaver's Team; Vice-President of the local WAC and former President and Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer and Missions' Chairman; and President of the Alabama Freewill Baptist Women Active for Christ for eight years and was the former Secretary/Treasurer and Vice-President, and was serving as secretary. In 2000, Miss Oakes was inducted into the Lamar County Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Funeral services will be Friday, May 3, at 2:00 at First Freewill Baptist Church in Vernon, with Mike Rogers, Joe Beckon, and David Currie officiating. Burial will follow at Fellowship Baptist Cemetery in the Crossville Community. Visitation will be Friday, from 12:00-2:00 at the church prior to the service.

Survivors include her niece, Carolyn (Ken) Michael of Madison, AL; nephew, Elmer (Delane) Motes of Florence, AL; three great-nephews - Lee (Melissa) Michael, Jason Motes, and Justin Motes; two great-nieces - Ericka (Russel) Motes Guyton and Angela Michael Thompson; four great-great-nephews - Cole Guyton, John Russel Guyton, Hunter Graham, and Dusty Uhlman; four great-great nieces - Morgan Guyton, Alyssa Thompson, Mylie Motes, and Lexie Motes; and a host of friends.