Mary B. Upton

She was born and raised in Smithfield, Pennsylvania, October 22, 1917, the daughter of Alva F. and Minnie (Garlitts) Breakiron, one of eight children.

She completed her religious studies at the Baptist Institute in Philadelphia, PA, and was called to New Hampshire to serve in 1941. There she met and married Richard O. Upton on June 27, 1942.

A resident of Harrisville for the past 74 years, Rev. Upton served the United Parishes, encompassing the Nelson Congregational Church, the Harrisville United Church of Christ, and the Chesham Baptist Church, from 1957 until 1984. She also served for 12 years as chaplain at the Cheshire Medical Center / Dartmouth Hitchcock in Keene. On September 25, 2013, The Community Churches of Harrisville and Chesham honored her as Minister Emerita.

In her life outside the church, she was a member and Matron of the Eastern Star and a member of the Silver Lake Grange.

Serving people was her passion in life. She was always willing to drop anything she was doing no matter the hour, no matter the day, to go and help others in need, or just sit in comfort with them. In a profile in the Keene Sentinel on November 13, 1993, Mary explained, “I sense a need. I ask if I can help to relieve the person’s distress by offering God’s blessing, His peace and comfort.”

She enjoyed her family, especially the happy voices of the children. She loved her home in Chesham, the turkeys, ducks and cardinals at her bird feeders, the sunrises and sunsets, all the phases of the moon, picking wildflowers in her field, watching the cloud formations over the farm, watching jet contrails, holding babies. Her hobby was her service to God. She was a tiny woman with an enormous capacity for love; tenacious, generous of heart, feisty, rock steady, defying the odds, and firm in her faith.

She is survived by her children, James D. Upton and his wife, Virginia of McMinnville, OR, Margaret L. Davieau and her husband, Robert, of Keene, Katherine E. Upton of Harrisville, Virginia L. Babcock and her husband, James, of Gilford, NH; five grandchildren, Zak Babcock, Mollie Greeley, Christy Upton, Erin Upton, Evan Boulanger; two great-grandchildren, Ari Benjamin Sucher, Nathan Timothy Greeley, and two great-grandchildren on the way; a brother, Barry Breakiron of Smithfield, PA; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Richard O. Upton in 2008; a grandson, Nathan Babcock in 2005; her brothers, Ralph Breakiron, Jacob Breakiron, Raymond Breakiron; and her sisters, Edith Moser, Florence Christopher, Bertha Bilovesky, and Laura Breakiron.

A funeral service will be held Thursday, August 13, 2015 at 10:00AM in the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene. Rev. Robert Hamm will officiate. Burial will follow in the Island Cemetery, Island Street, Harrisville. Family and friends are invited to call on Wednesday from 2:00 to 4:00PM and 6:00 to 8:00PM at the Foley Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Rev. Upton’s memory to the Nathan J. Babcock Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o James Babcock, 41 Haywagon Road, Gilford, NH 03249.