Ellouise Cynthia Gates Oglesby, 95 of 252 Third Street, Pleasantville PA, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on December 20, 2013.
Born on April 15, 1918 in Chestertown, NY in the home of her maternal grandfather, Foster B. Tripp on Landin Hill, she was a daughter of the late Rev. Myron James Gates and Mary E. Tripp Gates.
She attended A. M. Chesbrough High School & College (now Roberts Wesleyan College), North Chili, NY.
On August 24, 1945 at the Warrensburg Free Methodist Church, Warrensburg, NY, she married Rev. George Purviance Oglesby, who preceded her in death on August 7, 2012.
She was a member of the Pleasantville Free Methodist Church in Pleasantville, PA.
Mrs. Oglesby worked for GE in Schenectady, NY during World War II. In 1945 she worked for Child Evangelism Fellowship in Armstrong County, PA prior to her marriage. She also worked as an aide in the Titusville School District and was known as “Mrs. O” when she worked in the library at the Pleasantville Elementary School.
She faithfully served with her husband in churches in Ridgeway, Coudersport, Kane, Lock Haven, Bradford, Ellwood City, Oil City, Van, Franklin and Pleasantville. She held several offices, including president of the Women’s Missionary Society of the Oil City Conference of the Free Methodist Church. She also served as General Superintendent of the Junior Missionary Society for the Free Methodist Church of North America. She loved working with children and led Vacation Bible Schools in churches and camps over the years.
She served faithfully at the Pleasantville Free Methodist Church, serving as secretary of the Board, Director of Christian Education and until recently as organist.
She is survived by a son, James P. Oglesby and wife Suzzette, and grandsons Sam and Scott, all of Wilmington, MA, and a daughter Rev. Cynthia Ellouise Hill and husband Rev. Chris of Oil City and grandson Chad and wife Nicole of Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania.
Also surviving are brothers, Ervin Foster Gates and wife Betty of Seminole, OK and Lewis Frederick Gates and wife Joy of Livermore, CA and a sister Rev. Alice Mary Gates Godfrey of Cherry Grove, PA.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Edgar Tripp Gates, James Henry Gates and
Milford Ernest Gates, and a sister Alda Mary Gates.
Visitation will be held at Morrison Funeral Home in Oil City, on Sunday, December 22, from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 pm and on Monday, December 23 at the Pleasantville Free Methodist Church in Pleasantville, PA from 10 to 11 am.
A celebration of her life will be held on Monday, December 23, at 11:00 am at the Pleasantville Free Methodist Church. Officiating will be the Rev. Dr. Wayne Sawyer, pastor of the Kittanning Free Methodist church and Rev. Chuck Riel, pastor of the Pleasantville Free Methodist Church.
Interment will follow in the Big Bend Cemetery, Emlenton, Pennsylvania.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorials be made to the Pleasantville Free Methodist Church, 420 N. Main St., Pleasantville, PA 16341 and Free Methodist World Missions, 770 N High School Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46214.
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