Norman Hollis Upperman

He was born Sept. 20, 1939, in Corry, PA, the only child of the late Samuel “Hollis” and Dorothy Mae (Jaquith) Upperman. He attended Columbus Elementary School and graduated in 1957 from Corry High School, then Penn State Behrend as a Draftsman.

Norm worked for George Christensen, PennDOT, Corry Jamestown, Crescent Tool, and Blackstone in Jamestown, NY.

Norm always had a passion for cars, even drag racing at Lowville. He didn’t like working in a factory and became a car salesman working at Buesink Ford in Clymer and then Nuttall Ford in Sherman, NY. The opportunity to own his own car dealership came up in 1982 when he became owner of Rice – Upperman Pontiac Buick in Corry, PA. Norm treated his customers as family and remained in business until his retirement in 2006.

Norm loved God, his Church, and the Clymer Community very much. He grew up in the Columbus Community Church and then transferred to the North Clymer Methodist Church in 1964. When the Methodist and EUB Churches combined to form the North Clymer United Methodist Church, Norm was Chairman of the Board, served as a Youth Leader, Sunday School Teacher, Ad Board Chairman, Lay Leader, and sang in the choir. When the N. Clymer Community Church disaffiliated from the UMC and joined the Global Methodist Church, Norm’s membership was transferred there in 2024.

Norm’s community involvement included serving on the board for Willow Brook Manor, Clymer Rural Health Clinic, Clymer Town Board, Clymer Central School Board of Education, and the Clymer Fire Department for over 60 years.

Norm loved to hunt and be outdoors, even traveling to Newfoundland to hunt Moose. Norm and Judy purchased his little piece of heaven in North Clymer that he called “The Farm” and the “Hundred Acre Lot” where he had a little hobby farm. They also traveled across the USA, Canada and Mexico with their dearest and closest friends Russ and Carole Hunink.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Judith Ann (Rhodes); they were married on April 16, 1960, at the Sugar Grove Methodist Church by the bride’s father, Rev. Alvin Rhodes; two daughters, Kim (Willy Williams) and Karen (Mike Grimes); four granddaughters Rebecca (Rev. Derek Hansen), Julie (Tyler Gabriel), Ashley (Pastor Mark Galbreath), and Tiffany (Zach Donovan); great-grandchildren Liam, Sam and Hollis Hansen, Leevi, Hadlee and Macklee Gabriel, Anna, Isaac and Malachi Galbreath, Chase, and Baby Colson Ty Donovan (due in June 2025). He is also survived by three “special” AFS daughters Silvana Somadossi and her four children Catalina, Erenata, Franco and Juan Ghibaudo from Argentina, Knell (Peter Moses), and daughter Ellie from St. Lucia, and Bronx, NY, and Katherine Vasco Moreno (Juan) of Columbia.

Family and friends are invited to call at North Clymer Community Church, 7795 Route 474, Panama, NY 14767 on Thursday, May15 from 5 until 8 pm, and on Friday, May 16 from 12 pm until the time of the service there at 1 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the North Clymer Community Church or the Clymer Fire Department.

Arrangements are under the care of Bracken Funeral Home, Inc., 315 N. Center St, Corry, PA 16407.

To sign the guest book or send condolences, please visit www.brackenfh.com.