I was friends with Laurel for many years, meeting her through the Tulsa Audubon Society when my wife & I moved to Tulsa in the 1980s. Laurel was always a very active TAS member, and for many years was TAS Historian, compiling many albums of news clippings, photos and other items documenting our many Audubon activities. Laurel was always a dependable volunteer for a wide range of TAS activities. She would always organize our social activities, but was also heavily involved in our advocacy to protect our environment and wildlife. She often used her professional expertise as a geologist to write comments and letters to various government agencies, politicians and other authorities. As president of TAS I could always count on Laurel's support. She was a key part of Audubon for many years and I have very fond memories of her. She will be missed.   

by John Kennington



Tulsa World Obituary

Laurel Presnell Upshaw, 91, of Tulsa, passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, June 30, 2020.

Laurel ("Lolly" to her friends and family) was born July 5, 1928 in the Panama Canal Zone, where her father was stationed as a doctor. She and her siblings grew up in Charlotte, Iowa. Laurel attended Cornell College (Mt. Vernon, IA) and then Mississippi State University, receiving a Master's degree in geology.

She married in 1950 Charles F. Upshaw, and always had fond memories working at a dude ranch and teaching geology summer camps in the mountains of Wyoming during their graduate school years. After Charles finished his Ph.D. at the University of Missouri (Columbia), they relocated to Tulsa, OK, then lived briefly in Norman, OK and Fort Worth, TX, returning in 1968 to Tulsa where she remained.

Laurel worked as a petroleum geologist while raising the children. She had a love of gardening, nature and bird-watching, and for many years enjoyed activities such as the Garden Club and Tulsa Audubon Society, serving for many years as Audubon's historian. Laurel also occasionally prepared geological reports in support of local environmental defense initiatives or to address community concerns about river flooding or structural risks to new construction.She was featured twice in Tulsa World articles and once in Tulsa People magazine in the '90s on the subjects of bird-watching and local conservation initiatives. She also supported early efforts to establish the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.

Laurel is survived by her sister, Helen Gladys (Presnell) McClean of Iowa City, IA; her children, Thomas Andrew Upshaw and Bonnie Kathleen (Upshaw) Roberts of Tulsa; her grandchildren, Robyn Nichole (Upshaw) Ables, Jesse Paul Roberts and Andrew James Roberts; and three great-grandchildren. Laurel was preceded in death by her son, Michael David Upshaw; her parents, Dr. William Herald Presnell and Helen Merle (Phillips) Presnell of Charlotte, IA; and her brother, Richard William Presnell of Green Bay, WI.

Arrangements are being handled by Moore Funeral Home. A visitation will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July11th, at Moore Chapel, 2570 S. Harvard Ave., Tulsa with burial at Union Cemetery, Clinton Co., Iowa. Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, a memorial service will be held later at a time to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tulsa Audubon Society.

https://www.moorefuneral.com/obituaries/Laurel-Upshaw/#!/TributeWall

Make a donation in memory of Laurel Upshaw