Why are the leaves of my oakleaf Hydrangea turning brown around the edges and falling off?
We do not diagnose plant problems, especially without a sample. It might be wise to bring a sample to your local Master Gardener clinic. You can locate a Master Gardener Clinic within Washington State here.
However, based on my personal experience with my own oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), it is a semi-deciduous shrub that will hold on to its leaves through winter, only to replace them with fresh growth in the spring. All my Hydrangea’s old leaves have turned reddish-brown and look very ratty. Once new growth resumes in spring, I cut off most of the tattered leaves. (Don’t do it too early, in case there is a late frost.)
If you have new growth, do not worry about your shrub, but if you do not have new growth or it is the new growth that is turning brown then you should take a sample leaf into one of the Master Gardener clinics (linked above).