Sarah Wilkes Upson

Sarah Wilkes Womack Upson of Greensboro, age 94, died on August 17, 2011 at Verra Spring Retirement Community. She was born on April 17, 1917, in Knoxville, TN, the daughter of Cabell Alexander Wilkes and Banister Wilkes. She graduated from Knoxville High School, attended the Cincinnati Music Conservatory, and then taught piano in Knoxville until her marriage. Mrs. Upson attended UNC-G later in her life and majored in music. She had a lifelong love of music and enthusiastically supported the arts. She was married in 1939 to Joseph David Womack in Knoxville, TN. The Womack family lived in Tennessee, North Carolina, New York and Connecticut before returning to Greensboro in 1962. Mrs. Upson was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Cabell Foundation, DAR Guilford Battle Chapter, Scanners Book Club, Greensboro Country Club, the Greensboro Symphony Guild, UNC-G Alumni Association, Euterpe Club and local garden clubs.

Her husband of 43 years, Joseph David Womack, preceded Mrs. Upson in death as did her second husband of 21 years, Stephen Lumpkin Upson, sisters Juliet Shiflet and Lucie McMillan, brother Clem Wilkes and son-in-law George Varsamis. Daughters Kay Varsamis, Sarah Womack and her husband Bill Aycock of Greensboro, Lucie Fink of Greenville, SC, and Judy and Doug Sanford of Fredericksburg, VA survive her. Mrs. Upson has seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, eight nieces, nephews and their families. Mrs. Upson is survived as well by stepchildren Stephen Upson, Jane and Tim Hubbard, Nancy and Robin Kanipe, John Wright and their families, all of North Carolina, and Joe Upson and his family, of Georgia. Her stepdaughter, Marie Wright, preceded Mrs. Upson in death.

There will be a graveside service at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Tuesday, August 23 at 11:00 am, immediately followed by a family reception in the Virginia Gilmer room of the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Abbotswood/Verra Spring Retirement Communities and Hospice of Greensboro for their excellent and compassionate care, and are grateful for the support of the First Presbyterian Church Pastoral Care. Memorial donations may be sent to the First Presbyterian Church Music Fund, 671 North Elm Street, 27401 or Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Avenue, 27401. Please direct online condolences to: www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com.