ZEBULON - Delano “Dee” Thomas Upchurch, 73, of Wellington Nursing Center in Knightdale, died Wednesday morning, July 19, 2006 at WakeMed. Funeral services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at Pearce Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

He was born in Franklin County, son of the late Otha and Annie Freeman Upchurch. He was a lifelong member of Pearce Baptist Church where he had a perfect attendance in Sunday school from 1978-2001.

Surviving: sister, Betsy U. (Cameron) Stallings of Zebulon; brothers, Howard (Alaha) Upchurch of Indianapolis, Ind., Nick (Carol) Upchurch of Pittsburgh, Pa., Don (Faye) Upchurch of Millersville, Md., and Gary Upchurch of Zebulon; several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by sisters Daphine Koontz and Pattie Belcher; brothers, Junnie Upchurch, Eugene Upchurch, and Broward Upchurch; stepmother, Lottie Mae Upchurch.

Flowers accepted or memorials may be made to Pearce Baptist Church, 4634 Pearces Road, Zebulon, NC 27597.

The family will receive friends from 6-8:30 p.m. today (Saturday, July 22) at Pearce Baptist Church and other times at the home of Betsy and Cameron Stallings, 317 Stallings Road, Zebulon.

Arrangements handled by Strickland Funeral Home, Wendell.