Mary Elinor Reed Uppling (98) of Manchester, CT, wife of the late Rupert F. Uppling, died on January 4, 2020, in Vernon where she was a short-term resident of Vernon Manor. Mary was born in South Bristol, NY, in 1921. She attended a local one room schoolhouse (grades 1-8) and graduated from Naples High School in 1938. In 1941, she graduated from The New York State School of Agriculture in Canton (SUNY) with an associate’s degree in Home Economics. In 1942, Mary was offered a managerial position at the Maple Hill Restaurant in Hartford, CT. Soon after moving to Hartford, she met Rupert at a YMCA dance. They were engaged on Valentine’s Day 1943 and were married on March 30th, after a short engagement. Looking for a good place to raise a family, Rupert and Mary moved to Manchester. It was her home for 74 years. She worked as a caterer out of her home before she was hired by the Town of Manchester, Board of Education, first in 1959 as Cafeteria Manager at Manchester High School and promoted in 1961 to Manager of Cafeteria Services for all public schools in Manchester. She retired in 1989. Mary was a woman of faith. She joined Center Congregational Church in 1951 where she was always an active member. She was a Sunday School teacher, Church Council member, and served on many different committees though the years with a special passion for Mission Outreach and Women’s Ministries. She was a member of Grace Group, Center Church Red Hats Chapter of the Red Hat Society, and Center Church Women. First and foremost was her love for her family! Other loves included travel, reading, and baking. She loved music and played the piano quite well. When the Manchester Senior Center sponsored a “From Memory to Memoir” writing class Mary participated and was part of two books of essays that were published by the class under the tutelage of Susan Omilian. Mary leaves behind a daughter, Roberta (Birdi Uppling) Macaro, and her husband, Bruce, of Coventry, CT, a son, Kenneth Uppling, and his wife, Nikki, of Willington, CT, three grandchildren Rachel Macaro Banks and her husband, Kenny, of Reidville, SC, Zachary Uppling and his wife, Kristie, of Hebron, CT, Susan Uppling of Lone Tree, CO, and one great-grandchild, Marisa Mucha and her partner JT Garrett of Raleigh, NC. She is also survived by her sisters Janice (Reed) Alvaro of Canandaigua, NY, and Linda (Reed) Wilcox of Easton, MD, and her sister-in-law, Joyce (Brocklebank) Reed of Canandaigua, NY. She was close to her nieces and nephews, grandnieces and nephews, and her great-grand nieces and nephews. Celebrating her family and friends, she made sure that everyone got a birthday card on their special day! She was predeceased by her parents, J. Albert and Margaret (Richards) Reed; two brothers Arthur Reed and Robert Reed; a sister, Shirley Reed, a stepdaughter and her husband Madeline (Uppling) and Matt Jacobs and her brother-in-law Joel Wilcox. A service to celebrate Mary’s life will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2020, at 11 AM at Center Congregational Church, 11 Center Street, Manchester, CT. Calling hours will be held on Friday, January 10, 2020 from 4 – 8 PM at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040. A committal service at Buckland Cemetery, Manchester, CT, will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Center Congregational Church, 11 Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040. For online condolences, please bill www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.