Our Hometown
Oakdale Chapel
In 1999, the Oakdale Chapel was finally opened. The idea for the chapel was the brainchild of my deceased father-in-law, Harry Steele and Wally Rettig, the funeral director's father. On March 14, 1964, our senior year in high school, Gary's only brother, Harry Lee, was killed in an auto accident while he was serving in the Army. It was a very cold March day when the services were held at the cemetery. It was several years later when the two men began hatching the idea for the Chapel. Unfortunately, my father-in-law passed away before the chapel was completed.
Oakdale Cemetery, which is owned by the Village of Leetonia, is located one half mile south of Leetonia, Ohio on Leetonia-Lisbon Road (County Road 416) on the west side of the road.
Through community efforts a chapel was started in 1996 and on Sunday, September 13, 1998 and open house was held. Several improvements have been made over the years, including: blacktopped drives, installation of lighting and water lines and in the spring of 2002, an office was constructed for use by the cemetery clerk.