Nellie Oates

Mrs. Nellie Oates, 75, went Home to be with her Lord and Savior 0n Friday, March 13, 2009. Nellie was born in South Crenshaw County, in Luverne, AL, on May 9, 1933 the daughter of the late Dave and Mary (nee: Horn) Williams.

She accepted Christ at an early age at the Mount Kingdom Missionary Baptist Church. While in Luverne she attended school and helped work on the family farm. Nellie relocated to Racine in the early 1950s. It was then she began working at High Ridge until her retirement. On June 22, 1957, here in Racine, she was united in marriage to Steve Oates. Together they celebrated 51 years of marriage. Nellie enjoyed traveling, gardening, fishing and most of all cooking, preparing wonderful meals for family and friends.

Surviving are her husband of nearly 52 years, Steve; their children, Darrell Oates, Derrick (Gay Lynn ) Oates, Angela Oates, and Dino Oates all of Racine; seven grandchildren, April and Leslie Gentry, D'chario and Mary Oates, Dominique and Destiny Greer, and Vincent Navarro; nine precious great-grandchildren; brother, Wilbert Williams of Racine; and sister, Mary Dean (Walter) Freeman, of South Bend, IN; nieces, Armilla Bennett of Toledo, OH, and Jeannette Woods of Racine, WI; nephew, Odise Bennett of Luverne, AL; sisters-in-law Eula (Joe) Johnson and Carolyn (Abner) Shaw all of Racine; other relatives and friends further survive her. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her brothers, Augustus and Elbert Williams; and sisters Armilla Holland and Mattie Woods.

Her Homegoing Service will be on Friday, March 20, at 11 a.m. in St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, 11th and Center, with Bishop L. L. Kirby officiating. Visitation will be in the funeral home on Thursday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and in the church on Friday from 10 a.m. until the time of the Service.

DRAEGER LANGENDORF FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY
4600 County Line Rd., Racine 262-552-9000