Diane Upshaw

Sherry Diane Upshaw, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and cherished sister, peacefully passed away on July 31, 2026, at the Southern Oaks Personal Care Home in Tifton, Georgia. Born Sherry Diane Hale on May 16, 1949, in Tifton, Georgia, Diane was the daughter of the late D. D. Hale and Velma Braswell Hale.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 4:00 P.M. at Wayside Baptist Church of Tifton with Mr. Steven Williford officiating. The family will receive friends from 3:00 to 3:45 at the church before the service. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Donnie Upshaw, Jason Upshaw, Scott Upshaw, Christian Phillippi, Cody Mitchell and Wayne Markham will service as pallbearers.

Throughout her seventy-seven years, Diane exemplified kindness, compassion, and devotion to her family and loved ones. She was known affectionately by those closest to her as Diane, and her presence was a steady source of love and support. Diane was very instrumental in helping her husband operate T&S Electric Motors where she served as the secretary. She enjoyed cooking dessert, and she was well known for her ten-layer chocolate cakes. When she wasn’t working at their business or cooking, she enjoyed buying flowers and scaping booking. 

Diane’s life was intertwined with the community of Tifton, where she was born and where she spent her final days, embodying the values of warmth, generosity, and steadfast loyalty. Diane’s loving bond with her family was the cornerstone of her life. She is survived by her devoted husband of fifty-eight years, Gus Upshaw, who was her partner and confidant. Diane’s nurturing spirit lives on through her children: Jason and Michele Upshaw and Melody and Lannie Baker, who will forever carry her lessons and memory in their hearts.

She was a treasured grandmother to Scott Upshaw, Lanier Baker, and Mary Upshaw, each of whom brought her great joy and whom she delighted in supporting and nurturing. Diane’s deep familial ties extended to her sisters, Christy and Wayne Markham, and Debra and Gerald Wood, with whom she shared lifelong relationships rooted in love and mutual respect.

Diane’s legacy is one of devotion to her family, enduring love, and gentle strength. Though she is preceded in death by her beloved parents, D. D. Hale and Velma Braswell Hale, those who survive her are a testament to the profound and positive impact she had throughout her life.

Diane Upshaw’s life was a blessing to all who knew her, and she will be deeply missed while her memory remains a comfort and inspiration to her loved ones and all whose lives she touched.

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements