Iona was the fourth of seven children born to Fannie Kent and Edwin Ray Oxford. She married Richard Nieft on June 26, 1941, and they had three sons.
In addition to raising her family, Iona went to work in the early 1960s for CBS Records - Columbia House Club and from which she retired in the 1980s. She and Richard loved to travel, both before and after their retirements. They took extensive trips, anywhere and everywhere, whenever they had a chance…., even to England and Germany visiting her nephew and little brother who were in the Air Force. They always brought home lots of pictures or videos. Her favorite saying was that "We will never have much money, but all of the places we've seen and things we have done are priceless."
After they had both retired, Richard and Iona became "Snow Birds" spending winters in a small trailer community near Ft Myer, Florida, and summers in a little community near Reelsville, Indiana. They had a great love of their grandchildren and always had family albums that increased in number every year.
By 2001, they had sold both of their homes and returned to the immediate area where Iona was born. It was also the locale where she and Richard had grown up, dated and married. They still travelled, but not as frequently because age was finally catching up with them. In November 2003, Iona underwent surgery to repair a leaking heart. The operation was a success in that her heartbeat was strong but..., she suffered a stroke during the operation and never regained consciousness.
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Following our mother's death in 1940, Iona slowly and surely became the nucleus of her siblings and their families. For the three younger siblings, and especially me (the baby of our family), she became a loving surrogate mother who was always available for advice, support, reassurance and love.
In 1946, Iona helped begin an annual family reunion of our Dad, his siblings and all of their families…, a reunion which continues to this day (2018). She truly loved family and never missed any of the fifty-eight Oxford Reunions in her lifetime. After the death of a beloved Aunt, who held similar stature among the Oxford families, Iona seemed to fill a matriarchal void at the reunions. Her candor, organizational skills and guidance at those functions became legendary, and she is sincerely missed by all.
In addition to raising her family, Iona went to work in the early 1960s for CBS Records - Columbia House Club and from which she retired in the 1980s. She and Richard loved to travel, both before and after their retirements. They took extensive trips, anywhere and everywhere, whenever they had a chance…., even to England and Germany visiting her nephew and little brother who were in the Air Force. They always brought home lots of pictures or videos. Her favorite saying was that "We will never have much money, but all of the places we've seen and things we have done are priceless."
After they had both retired, Richard and Iona became "Snow Birds" spending winters in a small trailer community near Ft Myer, Florida, and summers in a little community near Reelsville, Indiana. They had a great love of their grandchildren and always had family albums that increased in number every year.
By 2001, they had sold both of their homes and returned to the immediate area where Iona was born. It was also the locale where she and Richard had grown up, dated and married. They still travelled, but not as frequently because age was finally catching up with them. In November 2003, Iona underwent surgery to repair a leaking heart. The operation was a success in that her heartbeat was strong but..., she suffered a stroke during the operation and never regained consciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Following our mother's death in 1940, Iona slowly and surely became the nucleus of her siblings and their families. For the three younger siblings, and especially me (the baby of our family), she became a loving surrogate mother who was always available for advice, support, reassurance and love.
In 1946, Iona helped begin an annual family reunion of our Dad, his siblings and all of their families…, a reunion which continues to this day (2018). She truly loved family and never missed any of the fifty-eight Oxford Reunions in her lifetime. After the death of a beloved Aunt, who held similar stature among the Oxford families, Iona seemed to fill a matriarchal void at the reunions. Her candor, organizational skills and guidance at those functions became legendary, and she is sincerely missed by all.
Iona was the fourth of seven children born to Fannie Kent and Edwin Ray Oxford. She married Richard Nieft on June 26, 1941, and they had three sons.
In addition to raising her family, Iona went to work in the early 1960s for CBS Records - Columbia House Club and from which she retired in the 1980s. She and Richard loved to travel, both before and after their retirements. They took extensive trips, anywhere and everywhere, whenever they had a chance…., even to England and Germany visiting her nephew and little brother who were in the Air Force. They always brought home lots of pictures or videos. Her favorite saying was that "We will never have much money, but all of the places we've seen and things we have done are priceless."
After they had both retired, Richard and Iona became "Snow Birds" spending winters in a small trailer community near Ft Myer, Florida, and summers in a little community near Reelsville, Indiana. They had a great love of their grandchildren and always had family albums that increased in number every year.
By 2001, they had sold both of their homes and returned to the immediate area where Iona was born. It was also the locale where she and Richard had grown up, dated and married. They still travelled, but not as frequently because age was finally catching up with them. In November 2003, Iona underwent surgery to repair a leaking heart. The operation was a success in that her heartbeat was strong but..., she suffered a stroke during the operation and never regained consciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Following our mother's death in 1940, Iona slowly and surely became the nucleus of her siblings and their families. For the three younger siblings, and especially me (the baby of our family), she became a loving surrogate mother who was always available for advice, support, reassurance and love.
In 1946, Iona helped begin an annual family reunion of our Dad, his siblings and all of their families…, a reunion which continues to this day (2018). She truly loved family and never missed any of the fifty-eight Oxford Reunions in her lifetime. After the death of a beloved Aunt, who held similar stature among the Oxford families, Iona seemed to fill a matriarchal void at the reunions. Her candor, organizational skills and guidance at those functions became legendary, and she is sincerely missed by all.
In addition to raising her family, Iona went to work in the early 1960s for CBS Records - Columbia House Club and from which she retired in the 1980s. She and Richard loved to travel, both before and after their retirements. They took extensive trips, anywhere and everywhere, whenever they had a chance…., even to England and Germany visiting her nephew and little brother who were in the Air Force. They always brought home lots of pictures or videos. Her favorite saying was that "We will never have much money, but all of the places we've seen and things we have done are priceless."
After they had both retired, Richard and Iona became "Snow Birds" spending winters in a small trailer community near Ft Myer, Florida, and summers in a little community near Reelsville, Indiana. They had a great love of their grandchildren and always had family albums that increased in number every year.
By 2001, they had sold both of their homes and returned to the immediate area where Iona was born. It was also the locale where she and Richard had grown up, dated and married. They still travelled, but not as frequently because age was finally catching up with them. In November 2003, Iona underwent surgery to repair a leaking heart. The operation was a success in that her heartbeat was strong but..., she suffered a stroke during the operation and never regained consciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Following our mother's death in 1940, Iona slowly and surely became the nucleus of her siblings and their families. For the three younger siblings, and especially me (the baby of our family), she became a loving surrogate mother who was always available for advice, support, reassurance and love.
In 1946, Iona helped begin an annual family reunion of our Dad, his siblings and all of their families…, a reunion which continues to this day (2018). She truly loved family and never missed any of the fifty-eight Oxford Reunions in her lifetime. After the death of a beloved Aunt, who held similar stature among the Oxford families, Iona seemed to fill a matriarchal void at the reunions. Her candor, organizational skills and guidance at those functions became legendary, and she is sincerely missed by all.
