Carmen Bechard Upson Obituary (1928 - 2016)

Carmen Bechard Upson, 88, of Champlain, NY, Washington DC, Richmond VA, Westfield, NJ, Philadelphia, PA and Salt Lake City, UT, beloved widow of Harry Neal Upson, passed away on Saturday, August 13, 2016. She leaves to cherish her loving memory, her daughter Candace Upson McLane, her son-in-law Samuel Henry McLane II, and five grandchildren, Samuel Henry McLane III, Katherine Bechard McLane, Harrison Neal McLane, Oliver Norris McLane, and Gillian-Anne Hayes McLane, and her sisters Marielle Sienkiewicz, Aurianne (Gordon) Miller, sister-in-law Bernadette Bechard, and step-children, Deborah (Larry) Thompson and Harry (Vanessa) Upson. She is preceded in death by her parents: Ernest and Martha (Lefebvre) Bechard, and her siblings and in-laws: Gerald Bechard, Marquise and Paul Bender, Alexander Sienkiewicz, Monica and Jack McNerney, and Irenee and Veronica Bechard. Carmen was born in Champlain, NY on January 14, 1928, and attended St. Mary's Academy (1947) in Champlain NY and Albany Business College (1949) in Albany, NY. Carmen married Harry Upson on October 2, 1965, and shared a great love for 47 years, until Harry's death in 2012. Carmen had a 33-year career with the US Government, serving in varying administrative capacities with the US Navy, the US Forestry Service, and the Government Services Agency. Carmen was a long-time devout parishioner of St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Richmond Virginia, where she raised her daughter; as well as a parishioner of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Champlain, NY; The Holy Trinity Church in Westfield, NJ; St. Rose of Lima in North Wales, PA: and St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church of Salt Lake City, UT. The family would like to thank and express sincere appreciation for the wonderful staff of Sunrise Assisted Living of Holladay, Utah and for the amazing nursing staff at the offices of Dr. Bret Doyle, DO. We are so grateful for the love, support and comfort you shared with Mom and us. We thank God for the gift of Carmen's life and the blessing of the time we spent with her. She provided a wonderful example of faith to the church and her family. Family will receive visitors at Bliley's Funeral Home, 3801 Augusta Avenue, Richmond, VA on Friday, August 19, 2016, from 6 to 8pm, with a rosary prayer service at 7:00PM. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, 6006 Three Chopt Road, Richmond, VA on Saturday, August 20, 2016 at 10AM. Interment will follow at 11:15AM at Westhampton Memorial Park, 10000 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, VA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Carmen's name be sent to the Little Sisters of the Poor, 1503 Michaels Road, Henrico, VA 23229, or by visiting their website at https://littlesistersofthepoorvirginia.weshareonline.org/. Funeral Home: Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary-Murray 4760 South State Street Murray, UT 84107