Obit – Mrs. Sue Upchurch-Thomas
Mrs. Sue Upchurch-Thomas age 81 of Carthage ended her earthly journey at 3:26 p.m. Friday afternoon June 13, 2025 at the Smith County Health and Rehabilitation Center in Carthage where since 2022 and where she had received excellent care since the untimely death of her son in Hermitage and she relocated to Carthage.
The rehabilitation staff were ably assisted during the final stages of her illness by Gentiva Hospice of Livingston who pronounced her deceased at 5:02 p.m.
Mrs. Upchurch-Thomas was at the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Family and friends assembled in section three at the Ridgewood Cemetery for graveside services and interment in the Upchurch family lot, which was scheduled for Tuesday morning June 17th. Bro. Tom Pierce, minister of the Carthage United Methodist Church, officiated.
She was born Mary Sue Upchurch in Jackson County on October 28, 1943 and was one of five children, four sons and a daughter of the late Raymond Lee Upchurch who died at the age of 80 on March 18, 1994 and Thelma Irene Ramsey Upchurch who died at the age of 61 on August 30, 1976.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her only child, a son, Cvan Xavier who died unexpectedly December 20, 2021 at the age of 50 and who was a known entertainer in the music industry in the Nashville Community.
Also preceding her in death was a brother, Ray Flynn Upchurch who died March 14, 2017 at the age of 81.
Her family relocated from Jackson County in 1946 when her father became manager of Smith County Hardware, of which he would be the eventual owner.
Mary Sue attended all eight grades at Carthage Elementary School and was a member of the 1961 graduating class at Smith County High School. During high school she was a majorette, cheerleader and participated in many other activities including majoring in home economics.
As a member of the Future Homemakers of America, she received her junior and Chapter degrees in home economics. She was a member of the band all four years and also participated in the Spring Festival all four years.
It was stated of her in the ’61 annual; “She had the sweetness of a rose”.
Following high school, she received training at the former Baptist Hospital (now St. Thomas Mid-Town) in Nashville and worked as a nurse at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville.
In the 1970’s she accompanied her husband, Jim Brown, to Germany for a United States Air Force medical assignment. While there she worked as secretary to two Air Force Generals.
Jim and Mary Sue, along with their son Cvan, were transferred to Arizona for another medical assignment. They worked on government-sponsored programs for the Havasupai Indians. Mary Sue always spoke enthusiastically about this service, pointing out that the only way to access the tribal village, in the Grand Canyon where they lived, was on foot or by mule back.
Surviving her are three brothers; Bobby Upchurch of Hardinsburg, Kentucky, Tommy Upchurch and wife Barbara Nixon Upchurch of the Horseshoe Bend Community, Phillip Upchurch and wife Valerie Breazeale Upchurch of Carthage; sister-in-law, Linda Paschall Upchurch of Carthage.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
