Berniece may “Auntie bea” Upham-Atkinson

Berniece May “Auntie Bea” Upham-Atkinson, age 104, passed away on Wednesday, June 29 at her residence in Creston. She was born on May 23, 1912 in Polson, the daughter of Herbert LeRoy and Stella May (Pengra) Upham. 

She attended Sunny Slope School where she rode horse back every day and graduated from Polson High School. Following graduation, she attended U.C. Berkeley where she met her future husband George Dexter Atkinson. They married shortly after graduation and thus began a life traveling the country as George worked as an engineer on the building of dams. They lived in Texas, Utah and returned to Polson for a time. 

Following George’s death, she moved to Washington and later moved to Creston where she lived with her nephew and his family for the last 20 years.

She was an avid golfer, enjoyed painting and calligraphy, puzzle books and she loved her many dogs over the years “Schnapps” and her cats, “Credit” and “Debit”. 

She is preceded in death by her husband George, her parents, her brother Robert George Upham, her half-brother Homer Hansard and her nephew Roy Upham.

She is survived by her nephew Tim Jensen and his wife AlReen, great-nephew Justin Jensen and his fiancée Jacque, all of Creston, and her niece Elaine Hecker of Schaumburg, Illinois.

Memorial services for Berniece will be held on Saturday, July 9 at 1 p.m. at The Lake Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to the donor’s choice. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com. 

Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.