Carolyn Tate Upton, age 89 of Forest City died Monday, August 25, 2025, at Fairhaven Home in Bostic.  Carolyn was born on March 7, 1936, in Rutherford County and was the daughter of the late Grover and Mallie Hamrick Tate.  She was a graduate of R-S Central High School.

She was a longtime member of the Smith Grove Baptist Church where she was a former Sunday School teacher in the Children’s Department.  Her church was very important to her, and she attended faithfully over the years. 

Carolyn was a homemaker who enjoyed sewing, gardening, and cooking for her family and friends.   Her homemade biscuits were the best.    

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-five years, Paul Crowder Upton in 2021, her son-in-law, Ronald M. Filer in 2019, her brother, Grover Hoyle Tate, and sisters, Lucy Jane Tate Neal, and Frances Tate Murray.

Survivors include her daughters, Donna Upton Filer and Paula Upton Bowen and her husband, Ricky Lee Bowen all of Forest City, her four grandchildren, Megan Upton, Mitchell Filer, Daniel Bowen and Jared Bowen as well as ten great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

A service from the graveside will be held at 11 o’clock on Friday, August 29, 2025, at the Smith Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with the Reverend Terry White officiating.  The family will receive friends following the service at the cemetery.

Memorials in her memory may be made to Smith Grove Baptist Church, Post Office Box 1195, Forest City, North Carolina 28043.

The Padgett and King Mortuary & Crematory is in charge of arrangements and an online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com