Bowdoinham - Wilhelminé "Billie" Dennis Oakes, 87, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, June 13, 2025, surrounded by her family. She is the wife of Fulton Donald “Don” Oakes, Jr., with whom she shared nearly 64 years of marriage.
Billie was born December 18, 1937, in Englewood, NJ, the daughter of William and Wilhelminé Dennis, later of Scituate, Massachusetts. She graduated from Framingham State Teachers College in 1960 and began her teaching career at Marshfield Elementary. In her high school years, she first met Don at Methodist Youth Fellowship meetings. They went to dances and even attended a Kingston Trio concert. He would eventually be the love of her life. Billie and Don were married June 17, 1961. As a newly commissioned Naval Officer, he was assigned to Honolulu, Hawaii and then to Portsmouth, Virginia, before they eventually landed in Bowdoinham in 1965. They raised four children, Black Angus cattle, and a few pigs on their farm.
Billie was a 4-H member and grew up raising sheep and cattle in Scituate. She also started her 83-year Girl Scout membership and swimming skills as a Mariner Scout in Scituate.
Billie was a decades-long member of the Bowdoinham Public Library, and a founding member and 50-year volunteer of the Bowdoinham Public Library Plant Sale. She spent 39 years on the Bowdoinham Planning Board and volunteered each year at the former Bowdoinham Barbeque Farmers Market. She was a 65-plus year member of National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry (Grange), first in Massachusetts, then in Maine. For decades, she assisted with her children’s interests in 4-H, traveling the Maine Fair circuit from Bangor to Fryeburg so they could show their Angus cattle in both the 4-H and open competitions. During those same summers, and beyond, her dedicated position was driver of the various vintage Land Rovers and trailer through the hay fields, winding through the grouped hay bales to coordinate fewer stops for loading. She was a member of the Maine Angus Association and she helped establish the Maine Junior Angus Association. Billie was also a Cub Scout Den Mother in the early 1970s, and Girl Scout leader in the 1980s. She enjoyed seeing many of the Cub Scouts become white-bearded grandfathers. Billie was also a 52-year member of Bowdoinham’s Eastern Star, Electa Chapter #2, OES.
For years, Billie would preserve or freeze vegetables and was known locally for her fantastic apple pies. In 1977, she opened Paper Tiger, a party and banquet supply store in Brunswick and ran it for more than six years. After eventually selling the store, she volunteered, then worked, at Mt. Ararat High School Library for over 18 years. She enjoyed having her weekends again.
In “retirement”, Billie enjoyed traveling, reading, her Red Hats group, Thursday morning coffee with the ladies, and above all else, spending time with family. Her children kept her busy with functions and activities, which she loved.
Besides her husband, she is survived by her son Fulton Oakes III of Wiscasset, her daughters Heather Popadak (Cliff Friend) of Bowdoinham; Holly Savage (Elmer) of Union; and Hillary Kuhl (William) of Lisbon Falls; and her ten cherished grandchildren: Katrena and Samantha Oakes and Cynthia Vintinner; Kathryn, Jennifer, and Amanda Popadak; Jacob and Caleb Savage; and William and Sophia Kuhl. She is also a proud great-grandmother to Paxton and Finley Vintinner, with a great-granddaughter Vintinner due in October. She leaves several nieces and nephews, as well as bonus family members Nancy and Andrew Ritchie and Evelyn Twist. She was predeceased by her parents, and her sisters Winifred and Wendy.
A celebration of Billie's life will be held at 10am on Saturday, June 21st at Enterprise Grange, 15 Alexander Reed Road, Richmond, Maine. We encourage you to bring your memories and stories to share.
In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that donations may be made to Bowdoinham Historical Society, P.O. Box 101, Bowdoinham; Eastern Star, Electa Chapter #2 OES, 72 Smith Street, Unit 4, Augusta, 04330; Enterprise Grange #48, 15 Alexander Reed Road, Richmond; or the Bowdoinham Public Library, 13A School Street, Bowdoinham.
The family would like to especially thank CHANS Hospice in Brunswick for their excellent care given to Billie and their guidance and support given to the family.