Muriel May Brown Upton, 93, passed away at her home at Paramount Court in Turlock on Nov. 18.
She was born April 11, 1916, in Klamath Falls, Ore. She was raised on a 160-acre homestead in Crystal, Ore. at the north end of Klamath Lake. She attended elementary school and junior high school in Klamath County. She graduated from high school in Salem, Ore. After she married and raised her family she enrolled, at age 55, at California State University, Stanislaus where she earned both a bachelor's degree in 1975, and a master's degree in 1979 in Counseling Psychology. Two years later she was licensed as a marriage, family and child therapist.
Prior to going to college, she worked for over 16 years as a civil service employee at Castle Air Force Base in California and Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. She worked at the Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska because her husband was assigned to this base. She worked as a marriage and family therapist for 20 years, including her internships.
She has been active during her life as a therapist, workshop leader and teacher, lecturer, board member of the Family Service Agency of Stanislaus County. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She and her husband, Howard, were both active for many years in the First Christian Church in Turlock.
While at Eielson Air Force Base, she was awarded a certificate for Outstanding Service in the Base Chapel by the USAF in 1963. She received the parent-teacher award for outstanding service in Turlock in 1983. In 1987, she was named the Outstanding Woman of the Year for Distinguished Service in Stanislaus County, where she received plaques and certificates of appreciation from the California State Assembly, the State Senator of the 12th district, and the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.
Muriel is survived by seven children, Barbara (Bruce) MacPhail of Oakdale, Christian Michaels of Sedona, Ariz., Bruce (Anitra Raju) Cooper of Hayward, Calif., Lucille Cooper of Knoxville, Tenn., Nick (Leanna) Upton of Alpine, Calif., Katherine JoAnne (Clifford) Moore of Sundance, Wyo. and Nancy (John) Berntson of American Fork, Utah; siblings, Irene Taylor of Kentucky, Celia Speece of McMinnville, Ore., Ellen Riach of Klamath Falls, Ore. and Grant Brown of Bonanza, Ore.; 15 grandchildren; 39 great grandchildren; and two great great grandchildren. Muriel was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Dale Upton in 2005; her parents, Cecil Muriel Brown in 1986 and Fred Grant Brown in 1987; and one great grandchild in 2007.
Memorial contributions are encouraged for the First Christian Church of Turlock.
There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. on Dec. 2 at the First Christian Church on 180 South Denair Ave., after a private family inurnment. Please leave memories and condolences at www.allenmortuary.com.
She was born April 11, 1916, in Klamath Falls, Ore. She was raised on a 160-acre homestead in Crystal, Ore. at the north end of Klamath Lake. She attended elementary school and junior high school in Klamath County. She graduated from high school in Salem, Ore. After she married and raised her family she enrolled, at age 55, at California State University, Stanislaus where she earned both a bachelor's degree in 1975, and a master's degree in 1979 in Counseling Psychology. Two years later she was licensed as a marriage, family and child therapist.
Prior to going to college, she worked for over 16 years as a civil service employee at Castle Air Force Base in California and Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. She worked at the Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska because her husband was assigned to this base. She worked as a marriage and family therapist for 20 years, including her internships.
She has been active during her life as a therapist, workshop leader and teacher, lecturer, board member of the Family Service Agency of Stanislaus County. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She and her husband, Howard, were both active for many years in the First Christian Church in Turlock.
While at Eielson Air Force Base, she was awarded a certificate for Outstanding Service in the Base Chapel by the USAF in 1963. She received the parent-teacher award for outstanding service in Turlock in 1983. In 1987, she was named the Outstanding Woman of the Year for Distinguished Service in Stanislaus County, where she received plaques and certificates of appreciation from the California State Assembly, the State Senator of the 12th district, and the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.
Muriel is survived by seven children, Barbara (Bruce) MacPhail of Oakdale, Christian Michaels of Sedona, Ariz., Bruce (Anitra Raju) Cooper of Hayward, Calif., Lucille Cooper of Knoxville, Tenn., Nick (Leanna) Upton of Alpine, Calif., Katherine JoAnne (Clifford) Moore of Sundance, Wyo. and Nancy (John) Berntson of American Fork, Utah; siblings, Irene Taylor of Kentucky, Celia Speece of McMinnville, Ore., Ellen Riach of Klamath Falls, Ore. and Grant Brown of Bonanza, Ore.; 15 grandchildren; 39 great grandchildren; and two great great grandchildren. Muriel was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Dale Upton in 2005; her parents, Cecil Muriel Brown in 1986 and Fred Grant Brown in 1987; and one great grandchild in 2007.
Memorial contributions are encouraged for the First Christian Church of Turlock.
There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. on Dec. 2 at the First Christian Church on 180 South Denair Ave., after a private family inurnment. Please leave memories and condolences at www.allenmortuary.com.
