Thomas M. Oakes, of Providence, died at home, surrounded by family, after a long illness. Born in Scotland in 1938, he moved to Rhode Island with his young family in 1967 to work as a mechanical designer at Cumberland Engineering, where he spent more than three decades. Blessed with a range of talents, Tom sang in the choirs of Grace Church and later St. Stephen's, as well as in the musical theater, where he met his second wife Patricia Fuller. As an actor he performed in dozens of theatrical productions throughout Rhode Island and in Florida. For more than four decades, Tom was a dedicated member of Alcoholics Anonymous, where he sponsored innumerable fellows. Tom used his joyful creativity to enrich the lives of his grandchildren, Graeme, Griffin, Olivia, and Thomas.
He is survived by his wife, Pat, his children Katie and Robert, their spouses, Vahid Ownjazayeri and Katharine Klubock, his sister, Carolyn Lowndes of England, his step-children, Polly, Peter, and Arch Mott, his step-grandchildren, Emily, Alissa, and Kathryn Mott, and his former wife, Anna Cerutti, with whom he maintained a close friendship.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a virtual memorial will be held at 2 pm on Friday, December 18th. Please contact the family for further information.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Crossroads Rhode Island at crossroadsri.org.
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