Mr. Updike was born to the late Perry and Hedwig Updike. He lost his parents at a young age and was raised by his grandparents Carl and Marie Greif who helped instill the honor, dignity and integrity he carried throughout his life.
During his adolescent years, Mr. Updike found himself in a high school for gifted children and was a gymnast. After high school, he served in the Navy during the Korean War and graduated from Northwestern University. He also met and married the love of his life, Evelyn Rooker. The couple’s family grew to include two daughters, Liz and Carol. They moved from Illinois to Stone Mountain, Georgia where the girls grew up. They later moved to Texas while Mr. Updike was working as an accountant for Texaco in Houston. After retiring in 1996, Mr. Updike moved back to Georgia where he settled in Acworth.
Mr. Updike was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was very generous, kind hearted and adventurous. He enjoyed working with his hands and could often be found doing home repairs, tinkering on cars or woodworking in the garage. He could fix virtually anything and took the time to teach his daughters the lessons that helped them mold them into strong, independent women.
Mr. Updike enjoyed watching movies and was an avid reader. He always had a great sense of humor and shared it with those around him; the staff and residents at Woodstock Rehabilitation Center loved to visit with him and laugh when he used his subdued humor to entertain and catch them off guard. He loved cooking and sharing food from his childhood. Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday because families everywhere could sit down together and relish in what is important.
Mr. Updike’s memory will be cherished by his loving wife of 60 years, Evelyn Updike; daughters, Elizabeth Updike and Carol Updike Reinlie; and granddaughters, Olivia Updike and Amelia Updike.
Committal Services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, June 22, 2018 at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia. Please arrive at their main office between 10:30 am – 11:00 am in order to attend committal services.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation in Mr. Updike’s honor be made to a charity of your choice, as he was a lifelong giver to various causes.
FAMILY
Evelyn UpdikeWife
Elizabeth UpdikeDaughter
Carol Updike ReinlieDaughter
Olivia UpdikeGranddaughter
Amelia UpdikeGranddaughter
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