August "Gene" Oldham

© The Bakersfield Californian

23 October 2003

Submitted by: Sandi Carter

Services will be held Friday, October 24, at 1:30 p.m., in Greenlawn Memorial Chapel, 3700 Rover Blvd., for August "Gene" Oldham, 76, of Bakersfield, who passed away October 21, 2003, at his home. Pastor Herman Lippert will officiate and burial will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park.

Gene was born in Stigler, Oklahoma, in 1927. He moved to California in 1945, taking jobs loading box cars, delivering milk and working in construction while playing music at night. In 1954, he went to work for Atlantic Richfield Gas Department, while he performed the local music circuit including The Blackboard, Rainbow Gardens, Lucky Spot and The Barrel House. Gene was unusually versatile in that he could play country fiddle one night and jazz guitar, with another group the next night. Oldham was a Gold Card Member of the Musician's Local #263. He retired from ARCO in 1985.

Gene Oldham is survived by his wife of 52 years, Nelda; daughter and son-in-law, Alicia and Bruce Selby of Spring, TX; son and daughter-in-law, Stacy and Barbara Oldham of Rancho Palos Verdes; daughter-in-law, Sue Johnston of Atlanta GA; sisters, Mildred Boyles of Ft. Worth, TX, Dorothy Livesay and Reveta Hawley of Bakersfield, and Marjorie Underwood of Stigler, OK. He has seven grandchildren, Alex Oldham, Joseph Johnston, Laurel Selby, Stuart Oldham, Keith Oldham, Amanda Johnston and Russell Selby, most of which, as one might expect, play music. In addition, he is survived by a large group of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be his son, son-in-law and grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be James Johnson, Robert Lasiter, Hack Livesay, Doug Hawley, Steven Wright and Danny Russell.

Visitation will be today (Thursday) from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., at Greenlawn Mortuary.

Greenlawn Mortuary Funeral Directors

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