Jennifer J. Upton

Jennifer J. Upton, age 36, of Decorah, IA, died Tuesday evening October 25, 2011 at her mother’s home in Decorah of a heart ailment. Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, November 5, 2011 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville, Iowa with Rev. Steve Brackett officiating. Visitation will be on Saturday from 12:00-2:00 P.M. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville. Jennifer Joy Upton was born on December 14, 1974 in West Union, Iowa, the daughter of William Charles and Nora Marie (Scharff) Upton. She was raised in Postville, Iowa, was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church and graduated from Postville High School with the class of 1993. In high school, she was a member of Peer Helpers. Jennifer went to school to become a certified nurse’s aide. Jennifer was blessed with the birth of a daughter Brittany Ann on July 20, 1994. Jennifer worked at Aase Haugen Home in Decorah, starting in November of 1998, as a certified nurse’s aide. She worked there for ten years and ten months until an injury forced her to resign her position in September of 2009. She loved to read and listen to music and she was a very good listener. She was a quiet person, very trustworthy and a good confidant. She also liked Native American things, Precious Moments figurines and panda bear things. Jennifer is survived by her mother, Nora Upton of Decorah; her father, William “Bill” Upton of Monona, IA; her daughter, Brittany Ann Gibson of Ossian, IA; her brother, William “Chuck” Upton Jr. of Decorah; two step-nephews: Gary and Matthew Bushman of Calmar, IA; her aunts and uncles: Mike (Lynn) Upton, West Union, IA, Leslie (Clairice) Upton, Plainview, MN, Ronald (Linda) Upton, Postville, IA, Gene Upton, Sumner, IA, Kenneth (Barb) Upton, Postville, IA, Karen (Doug) Guyer, Clermont, IA, Nadine (Russell) West, Elgin, IA, Connie (Randy) Lauer, West Union, IA, Carl (special friend Pam) Scharff, Independence, IA, Mark Scharff, St. Louis, MO, Connie Flora, Spartanburg, SC, Ronald (Marsha) Quass, Independence, IA, Robert Quass, Independence, IA, Theresa Houdek, Farmersburg, IA; numerous cousins and second cousins; and a great aunt, LaVilla Harnack, Postville, IA. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Carl and Eleanor Scharff; paternal grandparents, Charles and Marjorie Upton; foster maternal grandparents, Edward and Catherine Quass; two aunts: June Upton and Sherry Scharff; two uncles: Wade Scharff and David Scharff; an aunt and uncle, Paul and Betty Scharff; two great aunts: Alma Buck and Nora Martin; two great uncles: Merlin Harnack and Paul Scharff; a foster aunt, Joyce Quass; and a foster cousin, Timothy Quass. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.