Michael Beale Upton

A Service Celebrating the Life of Michael Beale Upton, 63, Aberdeen, will be 11 a.m. Saturday, January 22, 2011 at Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Ave NW, with Pastor Craig Bostian of Zion Christian Fellowship officiating. A time of fellowship and lunch will follow the service at Schriver's Memorial Fellowship Center.

Inurnment will be at a later date at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Aberdeen. Michael died Wednesday, January 12, 2011, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Sioux Falls. Visitation with the family present is from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the mortuary.

Michael Beale Upton was born October 16, 1947, at Webster, SD to Harry W. and M. Claire (Shoemaker) Upton. He lived there until the family moved to Aberdeen in 1962. He graduated from Central High School in 1965 and attended Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, and Northern State College.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from March 28, 1967, until his honorable discharge on November 20, 1974. He was a Vietnam War veteran. He married Carol Guthmiller February 28, 1970, at Aberdeen and they had one daughter. Following his discharge they returned to Aberdeen.

He later worked in North Dakota and with seismograph crews in Texas before moving back to Webster where he worked at Dacotah, Inc., as a sewing machine mechanic. He later moved back to Aberdeen. He married Nancy L. Schnorr on July 27, 1988, in Aberdeen where they made their home. They owned and operated the Mansfield (S.D.) Bar and Grill for five years. For the past several years he was a vegetable farmer near Aberdeen, often donating his surplus produce to others. His passion for music lasted throughout his life as he played keyboards for several road and local bands and had his own road band in 1991 - 1992. He was a member of the Mansfield American Legion and a former member of the Dakota Musicians Assn.

Survivors include his wife, Nancy of Aberdeen, SD; one daughter, Jennifer (Frank) La Polla of Aurora, CO.; two brothers, Jerry (Roberta) Upton of Hermosa, SD and Tracy (Mary) Upton of Milbank, SD; and several nieces and nephews.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents.

The family prefers memorials to the Aberdeen Area Humane Society or to the donor's choice.

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