Dorothy Dean Drake Upton, 86

Funeral services for Dorothy Dean Drake Upton, 86, of Isabella, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Gainesville with Jonathan Humbert officiating. Mrs. Upton died Oct. 30 at Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home, Arkansas. 

She was born July 7, 1935, in Delaware County, Oklahoma, the daughter of Henry “Ned” Arthur and Opal Maude Burdick Hobbs Drake. She attended high school in Jay, Oklahoma, and on May 21, 1960, at Asbury Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, she married Ned W. Upton. 

In 1976, she earned an associate degree in nursing from Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas. In 1987, she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. 

Mrs. Upton was head nurse of the psychiatric unit at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Leavenworth, Kansas, for almost 20 years. She was employed by Oxford Home Health as the field RN for approximately eight years. After retiring, she volunteered as a first responder with the Theodosia Area Volunteer Fire Department for 15 years. 

She always gave to her neighborhood and friends. She was a very accomplished painter, and she loved water- and snow-skiing, bowling, sewing and crocheting. She also loved to sing and play her guitar. She loved life, loved her family and friends and was always laughing, joking and playing tricks. Her personality was deluxe. She and Ned, her husband of 61 years, were truly dedicated to each other. She will be missed by all who were lucky enough to have known her. 

Mrs. Upton is survived by her husband, of the home in Isabella; her daughter, Patricia L. Stewart and husband Ralph of Osawatomie, Kansas; grandchildren Joe and April Stewart, Tammy Riggs and Robbie Stewart, all of Kansas, Michael and Brooke Stewart of Wichita, Kansas, Randy Stewart and Terry Stewart, both of Missouri, Jimmy Stewart of Tennessee; one sister, Mildred I. Easter of Southwest City, and one brother, George H Drake and wife Cindy of Covington, Oklahoma; and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Burial will be in the Center Point Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Center Point Cemetery or to the Southwest City Cemetery and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home at P.O. Box 65, Gainesville, MO 65655.

Arrangements by Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville.