Elmwood Cemetery

Woodward, Woodward County, Oklahoma

© Billings Funeral Home
Submitted by: Terry Dudley

Ruth Garton Upchurch

December 19, 1932 ~ December 26, 2022

Ruth Upchurch, 90-year-old Woodward resident, passed peacefully Monday, December 26, 2022 at her residence, Legend at Rivendell in Oklahoma City exactly one week after her 90th Birthday. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 5, 2023 at First Baptist Church Woodward with Reverend Steve Scott officiating. Burial will follow in the Elmwood Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Billings Funeral Home.

Bennie Ruth (Garton) Upchurch was born on December 19, 1932 in Hollis, Oklahoma to Carl Dixon Garton and Henrietta (Massey) Garton. She attended Hollis Schools where she graduated from high school in 1951.

Ruth was married to Lee Thomas (Tom) Upchurch on May 29, 1951 in Colorado Springs, Colorado where Tom was serving in the United States Army. They made their residence in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Ft. Riley, Kansas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Weatherford, Oklahoma; Tyrone, Oklahoma; and Woodward, Oklahoma. Ruth enjoyed being a Housewife raising children in her early marriage years; then became and Elementary School Secretary.

Ruth was a member of the First Baptist Church of Woodward, Oklahoma. She was also a member of the Retired Teachers Association, Woodward Ladies Golf Association, she also helped Tom and others organize the first Youth Shelter in Woodward. For the past 30 years she has done extensive Genealogy Research spending countless hours all over the country in Libraries, Cemeteries, and anyone she met that may be able to offer information in her family tree. She was passionate about the Ladies Golf Association and played as often as she could. She loved traveling, camping with neighborhood families, and family gatherings. She drove trucks for Tom as the family cut wheat in Harmon County and Woodward County while trying not to miss any of her children's sporting events. She loved watching Thunder basketball and basically any sporting event until the day the Lord called her home. She was nicknamed "Coach" where she resided at her passing.

She is survived by her two sons: Mike and Kathryn Upchurch of Woodward, Mark and Tammy Upchurch of Mustang; two daughters: Karen and Tad Bowden of McAlester, Karla Trumbull of Moore; nine grandchildren: Marissa and Michael Paine, Tanner and Amanda Upchurch, Taylor and Jacie Upchurch, Amy Penland, Dustin and Deleassa Penland, Hailee and Josh Jenkins, Colin and Taralyn Trumbull, Taylor and Tara Burnett, Barrett and Kourtnei Storm, 18 great-grandchildren: Dalton, Lyric, Samara, Malakai, Kuper, Rachel, R.J., Ava, Ally, Phoebe, Abbey, Sofey, Nelley, Kamden, Brayson, Brooks, Alexis, Kristen; one brother, Phil and Donna Garton of Hollis; sisters-in-law, Marie Gregg of Kansas City, Missouri, Wilma Harris of Wichita Falls, Texas; other relatives and friends.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Henrietta Garton, husband, Thomas Upchurch, brother and sister-in-law, Max and Sarah Garton, brother and sister-in-law, Don and Glenda Garton, and son-in-law, Gary Trumbull.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Woodward Education Association with the funeral home accepting the contributions.

Remembrances may be shared online at www.billingsfuneralhomewoodward.com

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