Roxanne Emily Upton, age 84, went to her heavenly home on July 25, 2025 after a brief hospitalization. She was born August 13, 1940, in Mendenhall, Mississippi to Terry and Jessie Upton. The family later moved to Laurel, Mississippi, where she spent the remainder of her childhood. As an adult, Roxanne lived in California, Alabama, and Tennessee, but then returned to Mississippi around 1970 where she spent the remainder of her years, mainly in Florence, Laurel, and then Brandon.

Roxanne was a homemaker when her girls Casandra and Dee were young, and was later employed by Mississippi Power & Light (now Entergy) where she was a switchboard operator and then customer service representative. She retired after 25 years and moved to Laurel where she enjoyed working in her yard, sewing, and cooking while managing a successful trucking business. In 2017, she moved to Brandon to be near Dee's family. Due to health issues, she spent the last two years of her life as a resident at The Bee Hive Home in Carthage, Mississippi, where she enjoyed the friendship and love of the other residents and staff. One of her favorite pastimes was sitting on the front porch of The Hive on sunny days soaking in the sun.

Roxanne was a most wonderful mother and a dear friend to many. She loved working in the yard, sewing clothes for her and her daughters as well as making curtains and bedspreads for her home, cooking yummy food, and traveling to wherever Dee, Ray, and her grandson Daniel were stationed while Ray served in the Navy.  Those who knew Roxanne knew that she was fun, loved being with friends and family, enjoyed a good laugh, and was always up for eating some ice cream, be it a Yarnell ice cream sandwich, a banana split Blizzard from Dairy Queen, or homemade ice cream. She was a wonderful cook, known for her delicious meals that usually ended with pound cake, coconut cake, banana pudding or some other yummy dessert. She worked hard around her home and she was as handy with a hammer, screwdriver, or a saw as she was with a kitchen utensils.

Roxanne loved the Lord and was an active and devoted member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Laurel, and later at First Baptist Church Fannin in Brandon. She used her gifts of sewing and cooking to bless others, participated in Bible studies, and was a dear friend to many.

Roxanne is survived by her daughter Dee Hunt (Ray) and bonus son Jim Pryor, as well as two grandchildren, and one great grandchild, along with several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her daughter Casandra Cox, her grandson Daniel Hunt, her parents Terry and Jessie Upton, and her brothers Ray Upton, Charles Upton, and Mack Upton.

Roxanne's Celebration of Life service will be held Wednesday, July 30, at First Baptist Church Fannin in Brandon, Mississippi. Visitation will be at 9:00 a.m. at the church. The service will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by burial in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to First Baptist Fannin or the Bee Hive Homes of Carthage.