Waylon Cline Upchurch

Waylon Cline Upchurch, loving husband, son, and brother died peacefully, at home, to be with the Lord on December 27, 2008, following a 2½-year long battle with Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Born in Sanford, N.C. to K.U. and Sulu Elizabeth (Campbell) Upchurch, he graduated from East Carolina University with a Pre-Med degree in 1953 and worked for the Dept. of Agriculture in Long Island, N.Y. for a brief time prior to serving honorably in the U. S. Army for two years at Ft. Bliss. He was employed by El Paso Natural Gas Co. for 35 years in the Personnel Dept. and later was administrator of Group Benefits-Design and Implementation. He met and married his wife of 50 years at Asbury Methodist Church. Waylon was a member of the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army for many years, and was a member of First Baptist Church, the Gideon’s International, the Horseless Carriage Club of America, and the La Salle Car Club. He is survived by his wife Diane; also survived by his brothers and sister, Ireland, Avron, Doris, Melvin, Wyatt and Arliss in North Carolina, and brother-in-law, Lawrence M. Jensen, Jr. of El Paso. Honored to serve as pallbearers: Jerry Kall, William Quinn, Fred Edens, Armando Villalobos, Paul Cook and David Sutton, Honorary Pallbearers: Dr. John White, Charles Gibson, Dr. Dean Emons, Joseph Kall, Mike Thompson, Ralph Seitsinger and Charles Tapp. His family would like to thank his many friends, neighbors, and doctors for their friendship and support. Graveside Service will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, January 2, 2009 at Fort Bliss National Cemetery with Military Honors and Reverend Josh Meier of El Paso Bible Church to conduct services. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to; M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital, c/o Research and Trials-Head and Neck Dept., 1500 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, Texas 77030. Services entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home-West. Please visit our online register book at www.sunsetfuneralhomes.net.