Harold "Buddy" Upshaw

Visit my wife's page Pam Holmes, 66

I left Cairo after I graduated and went to IBM Computer school in Memphis, TN. I joined the Navy and with my computer skills and security clearance I was sent to Pensacola, Florida and worked in an air- conditioned office. In 1967 I married Pam Upshaw. Our first date was the night of my graduation from High School. I went to Vietnam in 1968 and was on a Riverboat on the canals for the remainder of time. I came back to Cairo in 1970. Our first son was born while I was in Vietnam. I worked at various jobs including working for my Dad at Merrick-Upshaw Gulf Service. While we lived in Cairo we had another son and a daughter. I got a job at a copper refinery in 1976 and we moved to Granite City. I worked there until 1992 when I was injured in an explosion at the plant and was forced to go on permanent disability.

Our oldest son (Chip) has two boys ages 4 and 5 and works downtown St. Louis as a Bridge Designer for HNTB and our other son Scott, has a 5 year old girl and works as an autoworker at Tower Automotive. Our daughter lives and works in Des Moines, Iowa as a Ralph Lauren specialist. I get to Cairo every two months to see my parents who now reside at the Cache Valley Apartments in Ullin IL.

We enjoy getting away to Southeastern Illinois where we have our camper and boat set up near Rosiclare, ready to go fishing.