Judy Kay Oakley

Judy Kay Frederickson, one of six children of Emery and Leona (Ruehl) Frederickson, was born March 1, 1945, on the family farm near Pender, Nebraska. She attended Pender public schools where she graduated from high school.

In 1966 Judy married Gerald Donnelly, and two sons were born to this union, Troy and Kenny. They divorced in 1968.

While working as a waitress at a truck stop in Lyons, Nebraska, Judy met Bobby Oakley. They fell in love and were united in marriage on February 17, 1972, in Rock Port, Missouri. The family made its home in Auburn, Nebraska, and a daughter Kimberley was born to Judy and Bobby. In 1990 they moved to Lincoln, Nebraska.

In addition to her time as a waitress, Judy made a career of cleaning houses while she was in Pender and Auburn. In Lincoln she was a house mom and cleaned the Alpha Phi house and worked for a while cleaning sky boxes at Memorial Stadium.

While in Auburn Judy and Bobby were members of American Legion Post #23. She collected chicken figurines and loved tending her flowers around her home, particularly sunflowers and marigolds. For 10 years Judy cared for her sister Jean in her Lincoln home, where she enjoyed drinking margaritas, smoking cigarettes, and listening to music in her “chicken coop”.

Bobby passed in 2002, and Judy stayed in their home in Lincoln until moving back to Auburn in 2018. She lived at Westbury Heights where she enjoyed visiting with her neighbors and family when they stopped.

In April of 2023 Judy became a resident of Good Samaritan Society-Auburn. It was at Good Sam she passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at the age of 78 years, 2 months, and 16 days. In addition to her parents and husband Bobby, she was preceded by her stepdaughter Kathy Oakley Gross, twin sister Jane Baier, sister Jean Steele, brothers Don and Jack, and Jack’s wife Alice.

Judy is lovingly remembered by her children Troy Donnelly of Auburn, Kenny Donnelly of Waverly, Kimberley (aka Brat) and husband Michael Robertson of Lincoln; step-daughters Susie Kreifels of Auburn, Debra Armstrong of Maple Park, IL; grandchildren Kia (Brett, Sr.) Bratrsovsky, Ashley Donnelly (fiancé Brady Osmon), Dylan (Kendra) Donnelly, Brittany Cottrell, Brett Donnelly, Tyler Donnelly (fiancée Kelsey Lewis), Madison Gilleland, Dallas Gilleland, Adam Gilleland; great-grandchildren Brantley, Braxton, Brooks, Madi, Tristan, Brett, Jr., Weston, Ayden, Asher, Ayson, and Isaac; sister Patty (Duane) Evans of Beatrice; sister-in-law Jeanette Frederickson of Pender; lifelong companion “George the Chicken”; other relatives and friends.

A memorial service will be Saturday, May 27, 1:00 p.m. at Hemmingsen Funeral Home in Auburn. Burial of ashes will be later at Sheridan Cemetery at Auburn.

Memorials are suggested to family choice.