Onalee Oakes

Onalee Baker Oakes, 90, of Maynard, died on Sunday morning, Sept. 24, 2017 at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette.

Funeral Service:  4:30 P.M. Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017 at the West Central School Gymnasium, Maynard, with Pastor Julie Ahrens officiating.

Visitation:  3 to 8 P.M. on Tuesday at Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home, Maynard and from 4 to 4:30 P.M. on Wednesday at the school.

Interment:  Long Grove Cemetery, Maynard, Iowa.

A Memorial Fund has been established for the West Central Playground Equipment Fund.

Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com.

Onalee JoAnn Coleman was born on Jan. 13, 1927 in Westgate, Iowa, the daughter of Leo Sydney & Vera (Finch) Coleman.  

She graduated from Maynard High School.  

Onalee received her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Upper Iowa University in Fayette and her superintendent’s certificate and master’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.  

Onalee began her career in education in 1944 by teaching in a one-room schoolhouse near Strawberry Point.  She started teaching at West Central in Maynard in 1959.  She eventually progressed to elementary principal to junior high principal to high school principal to superintendent for 17 years, retiring after 47 years in education in 1991. Onalee was the only woman superintendent in Iowa when she started her position at West Central.  She will be remembered as an educator who really cared about the children, staff and alumni of West Central School.

Onalee was united in marriage to Harvey Dean Baker in 1947. The family lived on their farm near Westgate.  Harvey died in 1976.  

Onalee later married Leland Archer Oakes on Nov. 16, 1979 in Rochester, Minn. They lived on an acreage near Randalia for many years. 

After the death of Lee in 2002, Onalee moved to Maynard and then to Maple Crest Assisted Living in Fayette.

Onalee was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and previously a member of the Order of the Eastern Star both in Oelwein.  

In her younger years, Onalee enjoyed dancing.

Onalee is survived by her son: Scott (Dayna) Baker of Maynard; two grandchildren:  Caleb (Cara) Baker of Maynard and Jared (Ali) Baker of Reinbeck; four great grandchildren:  Beckett Baker, Brice Baker, Allen Baker and Olivia Baker and several stepchildren, nieces and nephews.

Onalee was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands: Harvey Baker on Feb. 16, 1976 and Lee Oakes on June 25, 2002; and three brothers: Lee Coleman, Lanais Coleman and Rollis Coleman.         39u39