Stephen Lumpkin Upson

Athens - Mr. Stephen Lumpkin Upson, 97, of 2101 Lafayette Avenue, died Saturday, April 9th, at Moses Cone Hospital. Mr. Upson was born in Athens, Georgia on April 5, 1908. He was the son of the late Judge Stephen Cummins Upson and the late Louise Lumpkin Upson of Athens, Ga.
Mr. Upson was a summa cum laude valedictorian of his 1929 graduating class at the University of Georgia. He received a master's degree in English literature in 1930 while also serving as an assistant professor of English. He received the LL.B. degree from the Southern Law School in Athens, Ga., and in 1930 was admitted to the Georgia Bar. In 1932, Mr. Upson earned the MBA degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He was also recently awarded a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Georgia Law School at a special ceremony at the Greensboro Country Club on December 1, 2000.
Mr. Upson led a distinguished career as an attorney and corporate business and finance executive. He began work in Washington, D. C. during the Roosevelt Administration as counsel for the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, and later served six years with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He moved to Greensboro and joined Burlington Industries' legal department in 1939 and was named Assistant Secretary of the company in 1941. He became Secretary of the company in 1947 and General Counsel in 1952. He was elected to the Board of Directors of Burlington Industries in 1955, was named Corporate Executive Vice President in 1960 and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors in 1961. He retired from Burlington Industries in 1970.
Mr. Upson was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro. He also was Trustee Emeritus of Wesley Long Hospital and a member of the North Carolina Bar Association. He was a member of the Greensboro Rotary Club, the Greensboro Country Club, the Greensboro Cotillion, the Carolina Yacht Club and the Surf Club of Wrightsville Beach. Mr. Upson was an avid fan of University of Georgia football, a strong supporter of the University of Georgia, a ham radio operator, a piano player, an outdoor sportsman and he loved to spend time with his family and friends at his home at Wrightsville Beach.
Mr. Upson is survived by his wife, Sarah Womack Upson, and was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy York Upson. He is also survived by three daughters, Jane Upson Hubbard of Chapel Hill, N. C., Marie Upson Wright of Banner Elk, N. C. and Nancy Upson Kanipe of Asheville, N. C., and two sons, Stephen Lumpkin Upson, Jr. of Kernersville, N. C. and Joseph Foil Upson of Atlanta, GA. He has 13 grandchildren, Bo Hubbard, Carl Hubbard, Joe Hubbard and Mac Hubbard, Erin Upson Cuevas, Stephen Upson, John Upson and Anne Upson, Dylan Wright, Peter Kanipe and Will Kanipe, and Taylor Upson and Elizabeth Upson; one great grandchild, Bella Marie Wright. He is also survived by his stepchildren, Kay Womack Varsamis of Greensboro, N.C., Sarah Womack Aycock of Greensboro, N.C., Lucie Womack Fink of Greenville, S.C. and Juliet Womack Sanford of Fredericksburg, VA and seven step grandchildren and one great step grandchild.
The family will receive friends at a visitation at the residence on Wednesday, April 13, from 4:00 to 6:00. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, April 14 at 11:00 at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the memorial fund of the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro, 617 N. Elm St., Greensboro, NC 27401. Hanes Lineberry N. Elm Funeral Home is assisting the Upson family.