Piermont, NH-  Wendell George Oakes, 83, of River Road died at his home on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 following a period of declining health.

Wendell was born in Bath, NH on June 22, 1936 to Glen Weston and Lottie M. (Gates) Oakes.  Following his graduation from Bradford Academy, he worked on the family farm in Piermont. Then he was employed with Page'  s Model A Ford in Haverhill, NH for several years prior to owning the service station in Haverhill.  Along with his brothers, Winston and Neil, he owned and operated Oakes Bros. Hardware in Bradford, VT.

For many years, Wendell served in the National Guard in the 197 ^th Field Artillery based in Woodsville, NH.

Wendell loved NASCAR racing and had attended the races at Daytona for the past ten years as well as attending the races in Loudon.  Locally, he served on the pit crew for his brother-in-law Bill Josler's #111 car at Bear Ridge.  As an avid fisherman, Wendell spent many hours fishing along the Connecticut River.  He enjoyed traveling and fishing in Alaska.  An adventurer, he recently went zip lining when in Hawaii.  Wendell was always tinkering and as a result he restored a 1964 Corvette convertible and a Massey-Ferguson tractor.  At Oakes Bros., he loved working in the woodworking shop.  He was a lifelong animal lover.  Mostly, Wendell enjoyed family gatherings with the attitude of "the more the merrier."

He married his first wife, Virginia May (Rogers) Oakes in 1956 and she predeceased him on January 27, 2004.   He was also predeceased by a great grandson Jacob Seth Conrad on September 15, 2013, a sister Lorraine Blanchard, and a brother Wayne Oakes.

Wendell is survived by his wife Elizabeth "Betty" (Boyce) Oakes of Piermont, to whom he was married on March 17, 2018.  He is also survived by a daughter, Brenda Hathaway and husband Kurt of Londonderry, VT; three sons, Dale Oakes and wife Kathy, Rodney Oakes and wife Gina Giudici-Oakes, and Daniel Oakes and wife Michelle, all of Piermont; seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren; four step children, Betty Wheeler and husband Chip of Fairfax, VT, Janet Molleur and husband Jerry of Corinth, VT, Sharon Patneaude and husband Roy of Colchester, VT and Harley Vance and wife Sharon of Groton, VT; nine step grandchildren and thirteen step great grandchildren; three brothers, Winston Oakes and wife Jane of Piermont, Winfield Oakes and wife Dawn of Port Townsend, WA, and Neil Oakes and wife Dot of Piermont; a brother in law, Al Blanchard of San Antonio, TX; and nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A commemoration of Wendell's life will be on Saturday, February 22 ^nd from 1-4 PM at the Happy Hour in Wells River, VT.

Burial will be in South Lawn Cemetery, Piermont.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Upper Valley Humane Society, 300 Old Route 10, Enfield, NH 03748 or to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 970025, Boston, MA 02297-0025.