Funeral services will be held at 2PM on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from the chapel of the Taylor Funeral Home. Mark and Angie Lancaster will officiate. Visitation will be held on Saturday beginning at 12 Noon until the time of service. Burial will follow in the Dickson County Memorial Gardens.
For those desiring, memorials may be made to Vietnam Veterans of America or Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Laverne “Vern” Upchurch, age 80, of Bon Aqua, TN, passed away on June 16, 2026, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Vern was born on August 28, 1945, in Portland, TN, to the late John P. Upchurch and Evelyn Biggs Upchurch. Vern had worked as an operational engineer in chemical manufacturing. He proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corp. He served in Vietnam earning a combat medal and purple heart. In later years, he enjoyed fishing and hunting and anything that allowed him to be outdoors. He also loved going to the Rodeo, riding horses and bronc riding in his younger days. He will be greatly missed by his family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Judy Fisk and granddaughter, Shelby Nichols.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Gail Roberts Upchurch, his son, Matthew Ryan Upchurch (Tennelle), his daughters, Tracy Nichols (Robert), Shannon Hunter (Jamie), his brother, Jerry Upchurch (Montez), his sisters, Pam Upchurch, Kay White (Marty), grandchildren, Courtney Galeana, Nicholas Hunter, Delaney Hunter, Blake Hunter, Kennedy Hunter, Langley Hunter, Joe Burton Whittenburg, Jesse Taylor Whittenburg, great-grandchildren, Jahaziel Galeana, Adriel Galeana, Liliana (Lilly) Grace Galeana, and several nieces and nephews.
4 Responses
God Bless You LInda in your great loss. God bless Tracy, Shannon, and Mathew and the rest of the family.
We loved Vern like family. He was always quiet and soft spike when he did speak. Vern was such a nice pilite man and will be missed greatly by us all. GOD gained another faithful servant in heaven! n
Vern was like a close brother. every time I saw him out and about we shook hands and his smile brightened my day. when he and Linda came to my house for the 4th of July, Thanks giving, it made the day a better one, to see Linda’s smile and Vern’s grin was a joy to my heart. he was my friend and Veteran brother, we spent a lot of time setting on my deck discussing sports, our military service and our families, he is in my heart and someday if the lord will we will see each other again. may God keep him in his arms.
my dad was my hero I will always miss him and love him and until we meet again dad I will keep him in my heart and remember our talks hunting fishing and just being together I know that you are in a better place Now and thar you are where you are supposed to be love you and miss you
I met Vern a few years ago at July 4th party my Brother- in law David & Connie Johnson was having. Vern was a friendly quiet soft spoken man who was certainly a family man . One could see how patient he was by the way he communicated with the kids. We attended several other gatherings and I always enjoyed having conversations with him. I can honestly say I was glad I met him. RIP Vern! I am sorry for Vern’s Family and Friends loss my God Bless you with peace and courage!