Obituary of Emma Gupton

Emma Allen Gupton Mrs. Gupton,84, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2011 at Plantation Estates. ?Red,? as many lovingly referred to her, was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and nurse whose gentle nature and sincere compassion for people endeared her to all who knew her. Emma was born on March 5, 1927 in Hiddenite, North Carolina. She graduated from Hiddenite High School as a star basketball player, and later from Charlotte Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1948. Emma met her future-husband Bill during nursing school and they married several months after her graduation. For more than 25 years, Emma was the director of Pediatrics at Presbyterian Hospital. Her cheerful disposition, reassuring presence, and genuine love for children earned her the respect and admiration of physicians, co-workers, parents and her precious patients. She built a strong pediatric program that became known for its commitment to providing loving care, not only to the children who were the patients, but to their families as well. Her dream was to one day have a hospital that was solely dedicated to pediatric care. Emma?s dream became a reality with the opening of the Presbyterian Hemby Children?s Hospital. Emma played an integral part in the founding of the local Hospice organization and Kinder-Mourn, a group that provides grief support for parents who have lost a child. Her outstanding service to the community was recognized on numerous occasions, including the Mecklenburg County Medical Society?s special award for the advancement of pediatric health care, the ?Mary Louise Reilly Volunteer Service Award? given by the American Cancer Society, the Jefferson Award from WBTV honoring her community service, and the March of Dimes local ?Nurse of the Year.? Emma Gupton enjoyed life and lived each day to the fullest. She loved spending time with her family and friends. Even as her health declined, Emma never turned down an opportunity for fellowship and a good meal with friends. She gave unselfishly and fully of herself to others, and she was truly blessed to have so many friends who loved and cared for her, especially during her years at Plantation Estates. Most importantly, Emma loved her Lord and her church, where she was a member for 46 years. Preceding Emma in death were her beloved husband William Macdonald Gupton, Sr., her parents Lex Marsh Allen and Kate Hendren Allen, and her brother James Boyce Allen, Sr. Her children, William Macdonald Gupton, Jr. and Janet Gupton Holt, daughter-in-law Nancy Lynn Yudell, and son-in-law Kenneth Lee Holt survive Emma. Granddaughters Kathleen Noel Gupton, Anna Holt Upton, and Meredith Lee Holt will dearly miss their ?Granny,? as will grandson-in-law Charles Burns Upton II and step-grandsons Adam Benjamin Segal and Mark Abraham Segal. Also surviving are sisters Lexine Allen White and Nora Allen ?Jerry? Sprinkle; and family friend Sandy Hemby Burnett, who Emma loved like a daughter. The family extends its deep appreciation to the many doctors, nurses and medical professionals who provided exceptional care for Emma over the years, and to Camille, her Hospice nurse, for her tender and loving care during the past two months. Special thanks to the entire staff at Plantation Estates for their love and support and for always making Emma feel special. For those who Emma held especially close to her heart, Nell and Blair, Donna, Diane, Marilyn, Jacquie, Flo and Bill, Lois and Ray, Lee, Ken and Virginia, words can never express our heartfelt gratitude and love for always being there for ?Big Red.? A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at Plantation Estates for residents. A service to celebrate Emma?s life will also be held at Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church on Saturday, June 11 at 2:00 p.m. The burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the William Gupton Mission Fund at Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church, 1117 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203; Hospice and Palliative Care, 1420 East Seventh Street, Charlotte, NC 28204; and the Friends of Red Fund, 733 Plantation Estates Drive, Matthews, NC 28105 Attn: Teresa York.