Lynn R. Oxendale Obituary

Lynn R. Oxendale, 99, a 60-year resident of Decatur, Illinois, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on February 2, 2022 at Independence Village/Story Point, Grand Ledge, Michigan, where he had been residing for the past 1½ years.

Funeral service will be 11:00 AM, Saturday, February 12, 2022 at Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, 2827 N. Oakland Avenue, Decatur, IL. Visitation with family will be held Friday, February 11, from 4 to 7 PM, and Saturday, 10 to 11AM. Interment following the service will be at Hall Cemetery, 8900 Mosquito Creek Rd., Blue Mound, IL. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Sangamon Valley Beekeepers Association, 2646 S. Baltimore Ave, Decatur, IL 62521, to help a first-time beekeeper begin a hobby that Lynn loved.

Lynn was born on November 28, 1922 in Wheeler, Michigan, the 4th of 9 children born to Agnes Belle (Blandon) and Ray Isaac Oxendale. He joined the Navy at the age of 19 and proudly served his country during World War II as a signalman in the Merchant Marine. He was fond of recalling stories from the war and the different places he had traveled around the world. Lynn worked as a grain inspector for Decatur Grain Inspection for 27 years, retiring in 1987. Lynn was a "man of the earth" and loved nothing more than being outside, talking walks, planting his garden, hunting, fishing, and giving tours of a special parcel of land he owned and developed in Decatur. For many years he ran a Christmas tree farm at the site, Lynn's Pic-a-Tree. As a life-long beekeeper, he loved sharing this passion with others, and formed the Sangamon Valley Beekeepers Association, serving as President for many years. He was a member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church.

He is survived by his daughter, Sharon, Grand Rapids Michigan, his son, Gary, (Fede Figueroa) Grand Rapids, Michigan, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by one sister, Beth Burk of Hemlock, Michigan, one brother, Duane (Janet) of St. Louis, Michigan, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Lynn was preceded in death by both of his parents, his wife of 64 years Caroline (Humbarger), his eldest daughter, Karen, (Turlock, CA), four brothers: Ellis (Lansing, Michigan), Garth (Galion, Ohio), Lee (Mulliken, Michigan), Ralph (Lansing, Michigan), and two sisters, Norma Ireland (Saginaw, Michigan) and Letty Keefer (Mulliken).