Margaret Jane Upp

Margaret “Margee” Upp passed away on December 31st , surrounded by family at her home in Okemos, Michigan. Margee was born to Lucille and George Frise of Ithaca, Michigan. She was the loving sister to Virginia, and Betty Lou.

Margee often referred to herself as a “farm girl” and joked with her father that she was “his boy.” Despite this, Margee’s effortless beauty and grace was impossible to miss, and she was named Homecoming Queen while in High School, graduating from Ithaca High School in 1952. Being raised in a small town, Margee always used to say, "we knew everybody and everybody's business!"

Margee ventured away from Ithaca and became a mother to four wonderful girls: Roxanne, Leianne, Terianne, and Lorianne. Margee met the love of her life several years later, Richard “Dick” Upp. The couple married in Reno, Nevada and adventured all over the world together. They took many trips to the Colorado mountains to visit family and hit the ski slopes. Even with family far away, they never missed an opportunity to teach one of the grandchildren to ride a bike and never missed milestone events. Margee and Dick were often eating at buffets, making friends with strangers, laughing and genuinely enjoying life.

Margee is survived by her daughters, Terianne Parks (of Michigan), Roxanne Gerdes (of Colorado) and Leianne Wright (of Colorado); grandchildren, Lizabeth (Chris) Baldivia, Joanna Gerdes (Jared Fender), Margret (Tsoshi) Shank, Jeremy Wells, J. Canyon Koopsen, Kai Koopsen, Rachel Wamhoff and Sara Wamhoff. She is also survived by her many great-grandchildren, Amberly, Deklin and Jaxon Fender, Aiden and Carly Baldivia, Beau, Augustus, and Theodore Shank. She was like a second mother to her nephew, Marshall Hollabaugh. Margee was preceded in death by the father to her girls, John Wright of Alma, MI; husband, Richard Upp; daughter, Lorianne Womhoff; and her grandson, Justin Thomas.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

The family will be doing a Celebration of Life on March 28th from 4PM to 8PM at Henry's Place, 4926 Marsh Rd., Okemos, MI 48864. Flowers can be delivered at the site for the event.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.GREastLansing.com