PLANTATION, Fla. – Avon Virginia (Cheel) Oakes passed away on Oct. 1, 2022 at Covenant Village in Plantation, Fla., surrounded by family, after having moved to Cooper City, Fla. to be closer to family in 2011. The daughter of Leonard A. and Esther (Johnsen) Cheel, she was born on Oct. 28, 1928 in Providence, R.I., and raised in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, close to her Scandinavian roots and family.

Avon attended Bates College and was the first in her family to go to college, graduating in 1951. Later, Avon received her master’s in education from the University of Southern Maine. She moved to Maine in 1952, when she married Robert Oakes. She lived in Falmouth and Portland for 60 years. Avon began her professional career working for the Girl Scouts in Boston, Mass. in the early ’50s, and continued as a scout leader for years after moving to Maine. She was a teacher in the Westbrook school system until her retirement in 1995, teaching 4th and 5th grades and eventually adult education alongside her husband, Robert.

Avon belonged to, was a servant leader in, a choir member of, and soloist, at the Woodfords Congregational Church in Portland, from 1952 until she moved to Florida to be closer to family in 2011, when she joined Davie United Methodist Church in Davie, Fla.

In church, she was active in the choir, youth education, many committees and charities, and bible studies. Her strong faith was evident in everything she did. Avon gave her heart and soul to everyone, and had many lifelong friendships. She profoundly loved her family, Maine, children, nature, her heritage, and her close friends. She rejected no one, and loved unconditionally.

During her years in Florida, she was a member of her condo board. As an avid watercolorist, she began a painting class at the Cooper City Community Center that continues to thrive today. She traveled extensively later in life, and spent a good deal of time in the Netherlands, Michigan and Florida visiting her children and grandchildren.

Her husband and beloved partner, Robert, died in 1995.

She is survived by her children Thalie Oakes and her husband, Paul Lewin, of the Netherlands, Anders Oakes of Cornish, and Eric Oakes and his wife, Ann Whitehouse, of Cooper City, Fla. She is survived as well by her loving grandchildren Casper and Zoe Kliejwegt, of the Netherlands, Amber and Connor Pepin and Molly Oakes, of Maine, and Oscar Bergeron-Oakes, of Phoenix, Ariz., Olivia Bergeron-Oakes, Eddie Mulvaney and Amanda Mulvaney, of Cooper City, Fla., and Kristina Jackson, of Bath.

A memorial service will be celebrated at Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodford St., Portland, on Saturday Oct. 22 at 10 a.m., followed by interment at Oak Hill Cemetery in Auburn.

You may offer your condolences or share your memories at http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com

You can make memorial contributions in Avon Oakes name to Alzheimer’s Association or the American Cancer Society.

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