Master Sgt. Kyle J. Upton

West Virginia has lost a great Patriot, as U.S. Army Reserve Master Sergeant (Retired) Kyle J. Upton 79, passed away on April 25, 2026 following a short illness.

He was born March 2, 1947 in Daniels, WV, the son of the late Freda & James Upton.

Kyle graduated from Shady Spring High School in June 1966. He enlisted into the United States Army where he served 13 months in Vietnam and completed his initial enlistment. He worked as a coal miner for many years as a General Engineer Supervisor while being a part time reservist. After a year long recovery/rehabilitation from injuries sustained in a mine cave-in, he decided to change careers and in 1988 he applied to become a full-time recruiter for the Army Reserves. He was assigned to serve at the Beckley Recruiting Station of the Beckley Recruiting Battalion.

Being a true professional, a "people person", he excelled in his new career, earning the Top USAR "Rookie" Recruiter Award his first year, and earning the Top USAR Recruiter Award each subsequent year for the next 18 years.  During this time period he was re-assigned to work a larger market area and served for 2 years at the South Charleston, WV Recruiting Station, also a part of the Beckley Battalion.  During his years of service with the Beckley Battalion, he is credited with recruiting more than 600 men and women for part-time positions with the Army Reserves.

Due to his outstanding performance as a USAR Recruiter with the Beckley Battalion, he was asked by the Commander, First Recruiting Brigade (Baltimore MD) to take over as the Technical Warrant Officer Regional Recruiter, tasked to provide the Army Reserves with new warrant officers, that were to be recruited from an area that encompassed West Virginia, part of Virginia and Maryland.

Once again, he excelled in this new assignment, which during his 8 years in this job he provided the Army Reserves with over 300 new Warrant Officers to fill critical-skills positions.

During his 18 total years of service as a recruiter, Master Sergeant Upton never failed to meet his mission, and the Army Reserves as well as the Active Army were the beneficiaries of these thousands of new personnel recruited to fill critical job vacancies.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years Bernice Upton and sons Heath Upton of Shady Spring and Matt Upton of Louisiana, brother, Ronald Upton of Shady Spring, sister Wilma Marshall and husband Aubrey of Shady Spring. A very special friend who was more like a daughter, Jessica Vanover. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

Funeral services will  be conducted at the Amos E. Quesenberry Chapel of Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home at Shady Spring, WV on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 1 PM, with Pastor Gary Bowers officiating. Entombment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park Mausoleum, Beckley, WV. Friends may visit with the family one hour prior to the services on Saturday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Chris Cozort, Chuck Frye, Mark Hammon, Pastor Tim Dillon, Danny Price and  Donald Gragg.

Military rites at the mausoleum will be provided by the US Army Honor Guard.

Private online condolences and other expressions of  sympathy may be directed to  the family via our guestbook at www.roseandquesenberry.net .

Arrangements are by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, 729 Flat Top Road, Shady Spring, WV.