April Ilene Oakden passed away on October 28, 2023, surrounded by loved ones. Born April 4, 1944, the middle child of George and Laverna Moorhead, she grew up in the wilds of rural Nevada, loving mountain air and western sunsets. She married Robert (Bob) Oakden in 1962 in Gabbs, Nevada, and soon moved to Fallon where they built a beautiful home by hand out of a chicken house and raised three daughters: Lisa, Leslie, and Linsay.
April dedicated her life to her family, and when the kids grew up, she turned her creative and determined spirit to the arts, volunteering with the Churchill Arts Council as an early board member and worker bee. She found beauty in all things, transforming rusty old faucet handles into blooming flowers and broken tractor lights into a family of quail. She loved kids, baking bread, and being barefoot. April was generous with her kindness and humor, and those lucky enough to know her well were rewarded greatly, not only with peanut butter fudge at Christmas but with the loyalty of a true friend. She was Aunt April to many, and the world was a better place with her in it.
She is survived by her sister, Judy (Moorhead) Yates; her devoted husband of 61 years, Bob; daughters Lisa (Dave Hickam), Leslie (Steve Zimmerman), and Linsay (Kenan Matterson); four grandchildren, Molly Zimmerman, Austin Zimmerman, Ozan Matterson, and Lola Matterson; nieces and nephews Craig and Connie Heath, Brent and Theresa Heath, Layne and Jim Thompson, and Larci Austin; and many cherished grandnieces and grandnephews.
A Celebration of Life memorial service is scheduled for November 2, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at the Oats Park Art Center, Lariat Courtyard. Reception to follow.
The family respectfully requests that, in lieu of flowers, a donation be made in April's name to one of the many charities Bob and April supported; Churchill Arts Council, the Churchill County Museum, Nevada state and local FFA, or the Alzheimer’s Association.
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