NANCY C. OAKLEY (nee Reynolds) age 91. Beloved wife of the late William; mother of Martha Sharkin (Brian), Cathleen Smith (Mark), Amy Pagano (Bill), Sarah Blowers (Mark) and the late Robert (Beverly); grandmother of Christina Sharkin, Laura Sharkin, Alex Smith (Cierra), Graham Smith and Celia Novak (Thomas); great-grandmother of Greer; sister of the late Manning, Ellen Smithers and Reed; aunt and friend of many. Nancy's family would like to thank her caregivers Suzanne Gaughan and Helen Skvarca for their kind companionship and care.

Nancy Caroline Oakley (nee Reynolds) was born on Jan. 2, 1933, and died peacefully at Hospice of the Western Reserve Ames family hospice house on Monday, October 21. She leaves behind a loving family and a legacy of activism, advocacy, social justice and education.

Born and raised in Rossford Ohio, Nancy excelled in school. She graduated from high school at the age of 16, and then attended the University of Toledo pharmacy school and graduated at the age of 20 in 1953. She was too young to take her boards, having to wait until she turned 21. She moved to the Cleveland area and started working in a drug store where she met her soon to be husband, William. They married in 1954, and settled in the West Park neighborhood of Cleveland where they raised their 5 children. They were married for 59 years. William predeceased her in March 2012.

Nancy was an active mother. She participated in the PTA, was a girl scout leader and caregiver for any neighborhood children or animals in need.

Her advocacy and activism started in 1970 when she began volunteering for PACE, a Program for Action by Citizens in Education. She was focused on improving education for all. She was a tireless critic of the Cleveland public schools and questioned the way Cleveland school funds were being allocated.

She then began volunteering for the Greater Cleveland Inter-Church Council. She was the founder and executive director of Project LEARN, an adult literacy project with the single ideal: Freedom through literacy. The program was based on the Laubach Literacy movement that provided 1:1 tutoring for illiterate adults. She provided leadership, organization, training and outreach. Over the years she was instrumental in spreading her vision and expertise to adult literacy projects throughout Northeast Ohio. Her program also expanded to include English as a second language (ESOL), work place access, access in correctional facilities-providing 1:1 tutoring to inmates and training inmates to provide tutoring. Another program included Books for People-partnering with publishing companies to provide free books to children and adults. Later after retirement she became involved in health literacy, teaching providers to re-write educational materials for improved readability, and provided navigation assessments for health care facilities to ensure readability. She worked tirelessly to ensure the ethical treatment of adult learners statewide, including writing legislation.

In 1990 Nancy was recognized with a personal visit and public speech from First Lady Barbara Bush, also a fellow advocate for literacy.

She was also recognized for her achievements at the state level and inducted into the Ohio Woman's Hall of Fame in 1992 by Governor George Voinovich.

She retired later that year to spend more time with her family. Nancy loved gardening at the Kentucky Garden in Cleveland for 22 yrs, enjoyed building a dollhouse and miniature furniture, and spent time traveling .This included summers with her children and grandchildren on the outer banks in North Carolina, and travels in Europe, especially the United Kingdom. She worked tirelessly to complete the genealogy for both sides of the family.

Most of all she loved reading. She spent the last 10 yrs. of her life living at the Normandy in Rocky River Ohio.

Memorial Service Friday, November 8, at 6:00 PM. in the CHAMBERS FUNERAL HOME of CLEVELAND, 4420 ROCKY RIVER DR. AT PURITAS where friends may call 4:00 PM. until time of service.

In lieu of flowers contributions to Hospice of the Western Reserve, P.O. Box 72101, Cleveland, OH 44192, https://p2p.onecause.com/hwrgift/donate ; the Cleveland A.P.L., 1729 Willey Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113 https://clevelandapl.org/general-donations/ ; or to Project Learn of Summit County, 60 South High Street, Akron, Ohio 44326 https://www.projectlearnsummit.org/support-us/