Fairbury – Rita O. Oakland, 86, of Fairbury, passed away at 9:35pm, October 24, 2010, at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington.

Her funeral will be held at 11:00am on Friday, October 29, 2010, at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury. Pastors Charles McDonald and Stanley Rapp will be officiating.

Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Morris, IL

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services on Friday at the funeral home.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church, Fairbury or Roberts United Methodist Church.

Rita was born January 17, 1924 in Morris the daughter of George and Mildred Brooks Reader, Sr.
She married Glen Oakland on February 22, 1944 in New York City, NY. He survives.

Also surviving are two sons, Jim (Blanche) Oakland of Payson, AZ and Dennis (Debbie) Oakland of Fairbury; four grandchildren, Jennifer (Don) Smith , Heather Oakland, Melissa (Aaron) Grant, and Allison (CJ) Kaisner; three great-grandchildren, Austin Smith, Kallie Smith and Owen Grant; two brothers, Kenneth (Vivian) Reader of Plano and George (Joan) Reader, Jr of Coal City; two sisters, Wanda Pederson of Walnut and Shirley (William) Weaver of Morris.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents, son Wesley Glen Oakland; grandsons, Joshua Glen and James Glen; two brothers and two sisters.

Rita worked for 25 years as a secretary and sales women for her husband's paint store, The Smith-Alsop Store in Kankakee. Her biggest and most successful job was being a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother.

She was a devoted member of the First United Methodist Church in Fairbury where she was a part of the United Methodist Women.