Judith Ann (Pucicki) Oakes

Judy Oakes, beloved mother, grandmother and sister, passed away at home after a short battle with cancer. At the time of her passing she was surrounded and supported by her close family.

Judy was born and raised in New Britain, Connecticut. She was the eldest child born to parents, Chester and Irene Pucicki.

She graduated from New Britain High School in 1964. Following graduation Judy moved from New Britain to Kalamazoo, Michigan with her former husband, John Oakes, to start a family. Judy and John later moved to Delton, Michigan where her life centered around her children, Scott and Jill. She was a devoted mother, and her family was her biggest priority. Judy was known by all to have a gentle and quiet nature. She was warm, smart, and funny. She laughed often and openly. Scott and Jill both describe their mother as selfless and generous, and agree that she would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. She was always ready to feed the masses, or to take care of anyone who just needed a little extra time and attention. She loved her family and dedicated her life to her children. Scott and Jill inherited her kindness, generosity, dedication to family and sense of humor.

Judy spent the later part of her life in Portage, Michigan as a proud grandmother to her four beautiful granddaughters - Brittany, Kaitlyn, MacKenzie and Brooklynn. She was an excellent listener, who knew when to share her wisdom and advice and when to simply offer comfort and support. She was easy-going, which meant she also embraced and enjoyed the loud, sometimes chaotic, but always loving daily life of her family.

She loved nature and animals. She nurtured a large population of fat, happy squirrels that she fed every morning and watched as they ran around the yard. Some of her favorite pastimes were spending time on the beach, whether at the ocean or Lake Michigan. She was also an avid and exceptional gardener. During the afternoons you would find her keeping track of General Hospital, as she was a lifelong fan and enjoyed curling up on the couch to take a nap with Remi, the 125-pound Great Pyrenees, and the house cats.

Judy leaves behind a large loving family including her two children Scott (Heather) Oakes and Jill Oakes-Schaaf; her four grandchildren, Brittany Oakes, Kaitlyn Oakes, MacKenzie Schaaf, and Brooklynn Schaaf; her sister Chris (John) Medvec and their children John Medvec and Jennifer (Tim) Jobin and their grandchildren Maddy, Hailey, and Lily; mother-in-law Georgia Chase; sister-in-law Debra (Ron) Bisson-Oakes and family; sister-in-law Elisa Oakes-Chase and family; as well as other extended family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled for a later date when we will all be able to safely gather to share our memories. Any contributions or donations can be made to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan - https://www.hospiceswmi.org/give/ or to an animal rescue of your choice in Judy's name. She would be very happy to know her love and care for all living things will continue on through your kindness.