Betty J. Upham

Betty Jean Upham, age 90, went home to be with the Lord on Jan. 10th. She passed away from natural causes. Betty was born at home on a farm in Minneapolis, Kansas in July of 1921 to Gladys and Robert Peters. She graduated from Emporia State Teachers College in 1945 with degrees in Accounting and Teaching. She met her college sweetheart, Jim Upham, through her brothers, and they married on Valentine's Day 1945. Betty used her skills as an accountant while Jim was serving in WWII. She felt her greatest accomplishment in life was marrying the right man and enjoying 55 years of a fulfilling marriage to a man who woke up every morning and sang her a love song or quoted her a romantic poem. Her second greatest accomplishment she felt was raising 5 children.

When Jim came home from the war, while raising their family, she was also a teacher at Chapman and Junction City schools and helped Jim run the family farm business by keeping the books.

Betty spent years writing her life story. She also loved genealogy and traced her ancestry back to Europe.

Betty's Christian faith was very important to her as was her church and her church life. She attended the First United Methodist Church of Junction City for most of her adult life. She was proud to be Church Librarian for many years. She had great joy sharing her love of books with those who came to the library. Anyone who visited her home would see the hundreds of books carefully placed through the rooms.

Betty participated and served in leadership positions in various organizations: Walla Walla EHU, UMW, DAR, and the JOY Circle at her church.

Betty taught us a valuable lesson. That as long as a person has breath, they should be treated as living and not dying. She saw people as valuable, each person unique, equally special regardless of their station in life. She had compassion for the weak, mistreated, overlooked, and the oppressed. She spent a lifetime reaching out to those in need. It there was food on her table, flowers in her garden, or fruit in her orchard, it was to be shared. Every week, she took fruit from her farm to the sick or homebound.

Betty loved cats and at one time had 70. For the past 2 years while she has been homebound due to a foot surgery and heart irregularies, her 2 cats were her constant companions.

She overcame great obstacles this past year and defied Doctor's prognosis. When many thought she would not make it through the night, she never lost hope, nor did she give up on herself. She taught us that people DO have an appointed time and that prayers ARE answered and miracles DO happen!

Betty also loved her home on a farm outside Junction City where she lived for the past 60 years. She loved the Kansas prairie, the Flint Hills, the rolling hills of central Kansas.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Upham, and son, Robert of Sacramento, CA. She is survived by 4 children, Neal Upham and wife, Cheri of Liberal, KS., Susan Sharkey and husband Joe of New York City, Ward Upham of Junction City, KS., and Christy Upham of Maui, Hawaii; 4 Grandchildren, Matthew Upham and wife Nina, Jeremy Upham and wife Mindy, Ryan Sharkey, and Melissa Upham; 2 Great Grandchildren, Macy Grace and Ashton David.

Visitation will be Sunday from 6:00-7:00pm at Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel on Washington St. Funeral services will be on Monday, January 16th at 10:00am at the First United Methodist Church at 8th and Jefferson in Junction City, KS. With Pastor Phil Fischer officiating. Graveside service will be at Highland Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church or the Geary County Historical Society and may be left in care of Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel.