KENNETT, Mo. -- Allen Oakley, 73, died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2001.

Friends say the retired minister of First Presbyterian Church leaves a community in mourning.

A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. tonight at First Presbyterian Church.

"There is not a man who will be missed more," Ada McHaney said.

Those who knew him best say there is nothing in the world he wouldn't do for someone if he could.

"He has done so much for the community that the community is probably not even aware of," Jim Baker, executive director of the Kennett Chamber of Commerce said. "Absolutely one of the most joyous parts of my job for the past 11 years has been working with Dr. Oakley on a variety of committees. He never hesitated to be part of a committee that needed his skill. He had great intellect, wit and a tremendous heart. He is going to be sorely missed as a person in the community and as a friend." Verna Jones, Community Resource Director at the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation said that she and Oakley had become great friends.

"I had to assume responsibilities in my position and didn't have a clue where to begin," she said. "I was going through some papers and found Dr. Oakley's name. I gave him a call and from there we struck up an instant friendship." Jones added that she considered Oakley to be a mentor as well as a great friend.

McHaney said that she and her family were very close to the Reverend. "We were lifelong friends," McHaney said. "We've known him since 1957, when they first came to Kennett." MacHaney and others said that Oakley was fun to be with because he was always upbeat. And if you needed some assistance, he would always stop whatever he was doing and help you out on a project.

"Even when he was no longer pastor, he would be at the hospital when someone was ill. He would drive people anywhere they needed. That's just the type of person he was -- truly caring,"

Tuesday evening, fellow pastor Gary Mayes asked for some moments of silence for Oakley, who had died earlier in the day.

"I also mentioned that Allen had been in the council chambers many times in his life spent in Kennett."

Mayes said Oakley had begun his ministry in Kennett, returned to complete his career here and spent a brief time "with us" in retirement.

"Even though Allen was born and raised in Tennessee, he certainly had Kennett and Dunklin County blood flowing in his veins. He truly became an adoptive son -- or he adopted Kennett -- I'm not sure which happened first.

"He was so involved in this community it would be impossible to gauge his influence -- from researching our history to spearheading social concerns to serving the poor. I valued Allen as a friend, a colleague and as a pastor to pastors, for he was truly all of these to me," Mayes said.

Oakley was presented with the Daily Dunklin Democrat Community Service Award in March 1999 for his involvement in the community.

He served on the Dunklin County Chapter of the Salvation Army and was chairman for several years. He was worked with the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation, the Kennett Ministerial Alliance, and the chamber of commerce as a member and chairman of the chamber's Education Committee and the Heritage Committee.

Oakley is survived by his wife, Jane, of Kennett; two sons, Philip and Mark Oakley; a daughter, Julia Cording; a sister, Jean Reilly; and three grandchildren.