Upton, James 1967-2010

UPTON, ESTEP

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 7/26/2010 at 16:28:07

From: Le Mars Daily Sentinel, Friday, June 18, 2010

Jim Upton, 42, of Le Mars, died unexpectedly Wednesday, June 16, 2010 in Le Mars.

James Andrew Upton was born Aug. 21, 1967, in Weleetka, Okla., the son of Jack Upton and Rosetta (Estep) Walton. Early in his childhood, he moved with his family to Alcester, S.D. Jim attended school in Alcester and graduated from Alcester High School in 1985.

After graduation, Jim worked various jobs in the area. Most recently, he was working in maintenance for Golden Crisp Premium Foods in Sioux Center.

Jim was an avid outdoorsman, and loved to go fishing. He could fix and repair just about anything.

Jim was also a talented artist. He painted several oil paintings as a young man that hang proudly for everyone to remember him by.

He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Survivors include his four children: Alex of Sioux City, Allegra, Jonah, and Nathan, all of Le Mars; his father, Jack Upton (Ione) of rural Akron; his mother, Rosetta Walton of Seminole, Okla.; his brother, Ron Upton (Deb) of North Haverhill, N.H.; his sister, Shellie McPhetridge (Rodney) of Tecumseh, Okla.; a stepbrother, Wade Smith (Tracey) of Plymouth, Mass.; a stepsister, Wendy Oetken (Lance) of Alton; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Andrew and Eva Estep and his paternal grandparents, James "Wiley" and Ora Upton.

Memorial services will be 5 p.m. Saturday at Carlsen Funeral Home - Schroeder Chapel in Akron. Pastor Steve Jewett of New Horizons United Church of Christ in Akron, will officiate. The body has been cremated. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services Saturday at the funeral home.