Mary Catherine Oakes

Mary Catherine (Pareson) Oakes, 99, passed away on Tuesday July 7th, 2020. She was born in Coshocton on April 19th, 1921 to the late Bessie and William Pareson.

Mary was a graduate of the Coshocton High School class of 1939 and was also the class Vice President. She then studied Library Science at Syracuse University. She married her husband Horace F. Oakes on August 30th, 1947 and celebrated 7 years of marriage before his passing in March of 1955. Mary considered herself a homemaker but held many different jobs throughout her life, including working on her family’s potato farm. She worked periodically at the WTNS radio station as well as the Park Hotel on Main Street, Coshocton. Down the street from the hotel was the Pareson Family Restaurant where she would frequently help. She was also an employee at the Tower Antenna Company and the cafeteria at General Electric, as well as being a librarian at the Coshocton Public Library and the Grandview Public Library in Columbus. Mary was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church and used to sing in the choir.

Mary is survived by her daughter Julia Oakes of Eureka, CA; grandchildren Tom (Lyn) Smith, Patty Smith and Alison Hardy.

Along with her parents, Mary is preceded in death by her husband Horace, her daughter Roberta Smith, and her sister Doris Pareson.

Graveside services will be held at South Lawn Cemetery, Coshocton, Ohio on Friday, July 31, 2020 at 1:00pm with Pastor Timothy McCollum officiating. 

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be direct towards the Miller Funeral Home, 639 Main Street, Coshocton, Ohio 43812 to help defray funeral expenses.

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