Richard Wayne Upson Jr.
Richard Wayne Upson Jr., formerly of Columbia, died Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008. He was 57.
Richard “Rick” Upson was born June 27, 1951, in St. Louis to Richard W. and Betty Jane Upson.
As a child, Mr. Upson explored the outdoors and experimented with all things mechanical and scientific. After attending college and serving in the U.S. Navy, Mr. Upson married Holly Finley in 1972. Their travels took them all over the world. In 1977, their first daughter Melissa was born in Iran, followed in 1981 by a second daughter, Rosella, who was born in Saudi Arabia. Mr. and Mrs. Upson divorced in 1983.
After settling in Columbia, Mr. Upson began working in the medical field, which he worked until a few months before his death. In 1994, he met his partner Gail Lundberg. In the late ’90s, they moved to Kansas City, and in 2000, Mr. Upson began working in the microbiology lab of Shawnee Mission Medical Center.
Mr. Upson is survived by two daughters, Melissa Gregory and Rosella Pike; his partner, Gail Lundberg; three sisters, Dacie Cowles, Judy Eaton and Cathy Robinson; and two brothers, Merrell Upson and Randy Upson.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Jacksonville Veterans Cemetery, 1479 County Road 1675, Jacksonville.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, 1120 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, MO 64105.
