OAK HILL, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The city of Oak Hill is mourning the loss of councilman and former city manager Tom Oxley.
Councilman Tom Oxley passed away at his home on Tuesday, May 30th while surrounded by his wife and sons. Tom was born on December 2, 1944, in Montgomery, he is the son of the late Barbara Kincaid Oxley and William Dent Oxley.
After graduating from Collins High School in 1962, he joined the United States Air Force. The Air Force sent Tom to Yale University, where he learned Mandarin Chinese, and later to Japan, where he was a linguist.
Tom left the Air Force in 1967 and, from 1968 until the present, Tom was employed by Gates Engineering, Stafford Consulting, the City of Oak Hill as City Manager, Pentree Incorporated, and Thrasher Engineering.
Tom also served as a member of Oak Hill City Council from 2015 until 2023 and in previous years throughout the past couple of decades, as well as president of the West Virginia Municipal League, and president of the West Virginia City Managers Association.
Delegate Elliott Pritt (R-Fayette) represents Oak Hill in the 50th Delegate District, Pritt says the passing of Mr. Oxley is a tremendous loss for the community.
“Tom Oxley was a great man. He gave decades of his life in service to the community of Oak Hill. He and I often shared stories of our respective Air Force Days with one another, and he and my late father were good friends,” Pritt stated. “He was a good family friend, neighbor, Christian, and father. His smile and presence will truly be missed. We are all better for having known him.”
Tom also served as city manager for Oak Hill in the late 1980s through the 90s. Current city manager, Damita Johnson, says that Tom knew no strangers. “Almost everybody in Oak Hill knew him, he was very well-liked, he was always helping people and talked to everybody in every store he went to,” Johnson said.
Memorial services for Tom Oxley will be held at 2 PM on June 11, 2023, at Oak Hill Baptist Church. A reception will be held after the service at the church for anyone who would like to come and share a memory.
Oxley’s arrangements have been made by Tyree Funeral Home in Oak Hill.
Mr. Oxley’s full obituary can be viewed here.
