Sallaine Sledge Upchurch

Sallaine Upchurch passed away Saturday, January 11th, 2025, in peace. She was born January 8, 1926, to Herbert W. and Nannie Vester Sledge in Franklin County, North Carolina. She preferred to be called Sallaine which was a combination of her two grandmothers, Sally and Lannie. At 6 months, Sallaine moved to a log cabin next to her loving grandparents, John and Lannie Vester, founders & pillars of Momeyer Baptist Church, who provided the tobacco farm where she would have a nurturing upbringing. She had a blessed childhood as the oldest daughter with brothers John (Ludell) Sledge, and George (Dot) Sledge and three sisters Joyce (William) Griffin, Mary (Richard) Oriez, and Lois (William) Brown. Sallaine would raise her younger sisters while her parents built their two-story farmhouse during the depression in a frugal but loving farm community. Asserting her independence after graduating from Spring Hope High School, Sallaine moved to Raleigh to attend Business College & work for NC state government. Here, she met the love of her life, Robert Phil(lip) Upchurch (deceased 5/27/2020), and married him on Aug. 21, 1948. In their 71 years of devoted marriage, they lived in Davis, CA; Raleigh, NC; Valparaiso, FL; St. Louis, MO; Tucson, AZ and traveled the world side by side. She leaves behind 3 children: Nelda (Kenneth) Schuler, Debra (Robert) Heck, and Barry (Diane) Upchurch; 8 grandchildren: and 11 great grandchildren. Sallaine would go on to help raise three generations of her family with steel compassion and hospitality. For Sallaine the weight of the world's burdens could be eased by ice cream with chocolate syrup. In her heaven, there will always be dessert and the admonishment "to get on with it." Services: Visitation Newcomer Funeral-West County Chapel, 2211 Clarkson Rd., Chesterfield, MO from 4- 7 pm, Friday, Jan. 17th• Funeral Services will be held at 10 am, Saturday, Jan. 18th at Friendship Village Chesterfield, Chapel, 15201 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield, MO. The Chapel is a special place to Sallaine & Phil, who were cornerstone donors. Internment at Bellerive Gardens Cemetery for the family. A Buchholz Mortuary Service. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sallaine Sledge Upchurch, please visit our floral store.

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Sallaine Sledge Upchurch

January 8, 1926 - January 11, 2025