Ethel M. Oates

Mother Oates was born to the union of the late Simon and Mary Lee Thompson on February 19, 1938. Also, born to this union was one brother, the late James Lee Thompson.

She was a graduate of Burrell Slater High School of Florence, Alabama. She always had the desire to further her education and enrolled in a few courses at Wayne State Community College in Detroit, Michigan. For more than 20 years, Detroit, Michigan was her home.

At an early age, she confessed her hope in Christ at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church of Florence, Alabama. She was a member of the Mother Board at First Missionary Baptist Church of Florence. Also, she served on the Mother Board under watch care at Union Hill CPCA in Huntsville, Alabama.

For many years, she worked as a Nurses Aid at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital. Before operating her own business for 10 years as a Home Daycare Operator, she also worked at the University of North Alabama.

Mother Oates married Henry Oates in 1959. They moved to Newark, New Jersey and started their family.

Cherishing her precious memories is her husband, Henry Oates; four children, Derek Oates, Joyce Oates, both of Huntsville, AL, Stephen Oates of Florence, AL and Cynthia (Patrick) Sharpley of Moulton, AL; four grandchildren, Ashley Davis, Falon Sharpley, Cashan Oates and Ashley Carroll; devoted friends, Tera Warren, Jenny Cole, Helen Freeman and Julia Booker; two brothers-inlaw, Hugh Williams of Detroit, MI and Angelo Simpson of Barton, AL; one sister-in-law, Barbara (Jimmy) Brown of Hoover, AL; several special cousins in Syracuse, NY and Fayetteville, GA; other relatives and friends.

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