Jerald L. Oaks

Jerald L. Oaks of Denver passed away peacefully September 28, 2012 following a seven-month valiant battle fought against a recurrence of cancer. He was born on July 29, 1935 in San Antonio, Texas. He worked summers as a ""roughneck"" in the oilfields to pay for his education, and in 1957, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He married Kathleen Jones in 1958, and had two children, Lindsay (1960) and Kristi (1962). He raised his young children overseas in Columbia and Israel, and gave them the opportunity to experience and appreciate different cultures. In 1970, he married Elena Garay. In 1971, he moved the family back stateside to Denver, Colorado. Together, Jerry and Elena raised their family in Denver, with many trips to Argentina to visit extended families. Jerry was one of the original founders of Petrobank. He had been a director of Petrobank since September 1993, and was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors on June 15, 2009. He was President and founder of Oaks Resources Management Inc. He had 50 years of oil and gas experience including various engineering roles at Phillips Petroleum Company working in Texas, Venezuela, Algeria, Libya and Columbia. He was preceded in death by son Jerald ""Lindsay"" Oaks, Jr., and brother Robert Oaks. Survived by wife Elena, and daughter Kristi (Mike) Accarrino; his grandchildren Sara, Gilbert, and Gillian; and brother John Oaks. A Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, October 5th at 2:00pm, Horan & McConaty, 11150 E. Dartmouth Avenue in Aurora. In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions may be made to the following causes that were dear to him: Dr. Jaffer A. Ajani Esophageal Cancer Research MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486, www.mdanderson.org/gifts Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, 310 E. Dean Keeton, Mail Stop C2100, Austin, Texas 78712-1200—attention John Halton for the Engineering Education and Research Center. Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 647010, Pullman, WA 99164-7010. Please sign the guestbook to share condolences with Jerald's family.