Born: June 2, 1927
Died: March 15, 1986
Married: Julia Martin
Children: Kevin Oxford
Gerald L. Oxford served as Saranac Lake Chief of Police and as village manager. He was elected president of the Saranac Lake Area Development Corporation in 1977. He was a Vietnam Veteran.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 18, 1986
Former SL police chief dies
CROWN POINT— Former Saranac Lake Police Chief Gerald L. Oxford, 58, of Crown Point died Saturday March 15, at the Medical Center of Vermont in Burlington.
Mr. Oxford became Saranac Lake's Chief of Police in the summer of 1973. He had previously worked for the Essex County sheriff's Office following his retirement from the United States Air Force. He had been a master sergeant in the service for 28 years, with 14 years of that military duty at Plattsburgh Air Force Base. He had also served in Vietnam where he earned the Vietnamese Medal of Honor and the American Bronze Star.
Mr. Oxford interrupted his term as police chief here in 1975 to become Saranac Lake's interim village manager. He returned to his police job a few months later, but again took the manager's post in January, 1976. The village board asked him in April, 1977, to remain in the manager's post, but he refused and again became the police chief.
In that same year he was elected president of the Saranac Lake Area Development Corporation.
Three years later, on May 16, 1980, Mr. Oxford took a medical leave of absence from the police department. In July, 1980, he submitted his resignation, citing ill health.
He and his family moved back to the Crown Point area shortly thereafter. He was a member of the fire department in that community.
Gerald Oxford was born in Tulsa, Okla., June 2, 1927, the son of James and Lindy (McCabe) Oxford.
Survivors include a son, Kevin, of the U.S. Air Force, stationed in Suffolk, England; and a sister, Sally Willis of Tulsa.
His wife, Julia, predeceased him.
Calling hours will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Harland Funeral Home in Port Henry.
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Jay Cemetery, Jay, in May.
Memorial donations may be made to a favorite charity in Mr. Oxford's name.
