Avery "Reb" ElRay Oxley

Avery ElRay Oxley of Sandy Utah, (known as “Reb”, short for Rebel from the deep south of Louisiana), passed away at, as he would say, “the ripe old age” of 86, in the comfort of his own home, surrounded by his loved ones, on February 17, 2024. He lost a short battle with a sudden and aggressive cancer.

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He was born to John Henry and Cecile Augustine Oxley on October 18, 1937 and was raised on a small farm just outside of Winnfield, Louisiana. As a young boy he fished, hunted and played in the woods when not working on the farm.

At the age of 14, he began learning the trade of welding and fabricating at the Huey P. Long Memorial Trade School in Winnfield, spending 4 hours each day after school and 8 hours each day during the summer, until the age of 16. He joined the Louisiana National Guard at that time.

While visiting his cousin in Utah, at the age of 17, he was offered a job at Kennecott Copper and also met his bride, Barbara. So he decided to stay. He subsequently transferred to the Utah National Guard and finished his military service there.

Avery has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and at the age of 23, he went into business and Avery Oxley Welding & Fabricating was founded. In later years, his son Steve joined him in his business and the name changed to Oxley & Son Welding & Fabricating. Since then the tradition continues with his two grandsons, Jackson and Taylor, leaving a 3 generation legacy of business.

He was an avid outdoorsman and horseman and enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping and traveling. He was truly adventurous. One of his favorite activities was escaping the Utah winters in his RV, down in St. George and Laughlin Nevada, making fond memories with his sweetheart, Barbara. He also loved heading to the lake with his fishing buddies and meeting them at McDonalds almost every morning to socialize.

He always performed random acts of kindness and service to others and has a deep-rooted testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation and eternal families. He is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and served for many years in the Jordan River Temple.

His family was everything to him. He took a genuine interest in the lives of his wife, children, grandkids and great grandkids and formed bonding relationships with each. Whether it was in business, in the community or at church, people everywhere who met him, loved and respected him.

He is preceded in death by his parents John and Cecile, and is survived by his wife, Barbara, his children, Dan, Steve (Kim), Sherry Jeffries (Shane), Sandee Sosa (Andres), and his sisters, Glenna Benson and Doyleen Jensen (Dennis). He has 14 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.

He was a happy, positive, quick-witted man who will be sorely missed.

Funeral services will be on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the Crescent Ward Meetinghouse (10945 South 1700 East, Sandy, UT). Interment will follow at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery (1950 East 10600 South, Sandy, UT). A viewing will be held on Friday, March 1, 2024 at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and prior to the funeral service from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM.

To watch the service via zoom, please follow this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83186857110