Oakley was born on June 1, 1932, the son of Carl and Selma (Jeffers) Olson in a car on the way to town, Rhame, ND. He grew up and attended country schools in Rhame. After School, Oakley worked on the family farm. Oakley met his future wife, Francis Lulubelle Hoffman, while shopping for a combine in Rhame, ND. They were united in marriage on September 8, 1954, in Rhame, ND. After the marriage they made their home on his family farm. To this union three children were born, William, Wanda, and Blake. In 1969, they moved to Bowman, ND and he continued to work of the family farm until his father passed away in 1975. In 1976, Oakley opened a gun shop in Bowman, ND and they closed it in 1984 when they moved to Coeur d’ Alene, ID. Then in 1985 they moved to Sidney, MT where he worked as a security guard at Holly Sugar, at Richland Leather, Richland Upholstery and he did small engine repairs. Due to his wife’s, Lulubelle, failing health they moved in the late 2010’ to Dickinson, ND where she entered the nursing home. His wife died in October of 2013 and Oakley remained in Dickinson. In 2014, due to Oakley’s failing health in entered the nursing home in Dickinson. In June of 2018, Oakley returned to Sidney, MT where he entered the Sidney Health Center Extended Care.
Oakley enjoyed hunting, fishing, making knives and guns. He also enjoyed making things out of wood, and whatever he made out of wood it was there to stay. Oakley loved reading Western Novels.
Oakley died on Friday morning, July 6, 2018, at the Sidney Health Center Extended Care, Sidney, MT.
Surviving him is: his sons, William “Bill” (Donna) Olson, Bowman, ND and Blake (Staci) Olson, Sidney, MT; his daughter, Wanda (Jim) Anderson, Mandan, ND; a foster son, Todd (Debbie) Seymanski; his sisters, Florence (Ted) Mrnak, Rapid City, SD and Donna (Chuck) Ferguson, Hermosa, SD; 7 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by: his parents, his wife, and his brothers, Lester Olson and Allen Olson, and his grandson, Joey Olson.