Mrs. Betty Lynn Wages Upton, 81, died Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at Sanctuary Hospice House following an extended illness. Betty was born November 7, 1944, in Houston, Mississippi to the late Emery Woodrow Wages and Shirley Criddle Wages. After graduating from Winona High School, she met and married the love of her life, Joe Upton, in Winona on Aug. 30, l964. They made Tupelo their permanent home since l964. Betty earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Mississippi State University. She taught bookkeeping and typing at Nettleton High School for 28 years exemplifying the highest ideals of a teacher. She enjoyed keeping up with former students over her years of retirement. A virtuous woman, she loved her husband, Joe, and both were avid MSU sports fans. Joe and Betty greatly enjoyed traveling especially enjoying the American West, Alaska, Hawaii and going on cruises. Their international destinations included Greece, Italy, the Holy Land, Russia, Denmark, Turkey, Germany and Sweden, among others. Joe and Betty were faithful members of Calvary Baptist Church.
A Service of Remembrance will be at 3 PM, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in the Sadie Holland Memorial Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo with Rev. Dr. John Bolen, Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church officiating. Visitation will begin at 2 PM and continue until service time Saturday only. For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed at hollandfuneraldirectors.com/ Live-streaming.
Survivors include her 3 daughters, Kim Hudson and Jolie Tate (David), all of Tupelo, and Sonya Schneider (Chris) of Oxford; son, Mathew Upton of Guin, Alabama; 2 sisters, Kay Hipps (Charles) of Carrollton GA and Tammie Dodd (David) of Ridgeland, MS; 9 grandchildren, Patton, Callie Grace, Lane, Reid, Lauren, Emery Kate, Aubrey, Addison, and Brayden; 3 great-grandchildren, Micah, Noah, and Rowe. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Joe Upton, who died July 16, 2024, and granddaughter, Brittany Glenn.
Pallbearers include Patton Hudson, Reid Tate, Lane Tate, Kevan Lindsey, Andy Buffa and Harrison Buffa. Honorary Pallbearer will be Johnny Strickland.
Memorials may be sent to Calvary Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1008, Tupelo, MS 38802.
