AUGUSTA – Kathleen Norma Oakes, 60, of 15 Blue Rock Road, Monmouth, died Monday, Oct. 31, at MaineGeneral Medical Center following a long illness.

She was born in Farmington on March 9, 1945, the daughter of A. Elmer and Elzie (Collins) Kilponen. She grew up in North Chesterville, and graduated from Farmington High School and Eastern Nazarene College in Wenham, Mass.

She taught first grade and transitional first grade at Winthrop Grade School for 34 years. She remained active in local schools as a volunteer and tutor, until the time of her death. A gifted musician, she played violin as a child but was best known locally as an organist and pianist. She led worship for many years at Faith Alliance Church in Winthrop, where she also taught Sunday school, and she was a frequent accompanist at weddings and funerals. As a vocalist, she performed in the church choir and sang duets with Brian, her beloved husband of 36 years.

Her Christian faith was the most important element in her life and it guided her to countless acts of charity in the communities of Monmouth, Winthrop, Leeds and beyond. She had a precious gift of providing for those with needs greater than her own. She was a foster parent at the time of her death. She visited local nursing homes almost every Sunday throughout her adult life, even after her own health became an obstacle. She opened her home to special-needs adults and worked with many underprivileged and socially handicapped children. Regardless of whether they called her Kathy, Norma, Mrs. Oakes, Mom or Grammie, friends and family knew her as a source of comfort and strength.

In recent years, she bravely battled diabetes. She was proud to follow her sons’ careers and to see her family grow to include two special daughters-in-law. Her only grandchild had become her pride and joy.

She is survived by her husband, Brian, of Monmouth; two sons and their wives, Kalle and Laurie (Chabot) Oakes of Monmouth, and Jeremy and Jodie (Strout) Oakes of Somersworth, N.H.; a grandson, Stephen James Oakes of Monmouth; a sister, Mary K. Mosher and her husband, George L. Mosher, of Englewood, Fla.; special friends of the family, Janice Reed of Monmouth and Janice Frost of Winthrop; numerous cousins in the Farmington Falls area; and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her father on June 5, 1973; and her mother on June 17, 1982.