GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Grand Rapids community is remembering a leader. Victoria Upton passed away Wednesday, Sept. 5 from brain cancer.
Upton founded Women's Lifestyle Magazine more than 20 years ago and was active in many other organizations.
"She wanted to be everywhere, she wanted to do everything, I've just never met anyone like her," Women's Lifestyle Magazine content producer Sarah Anderson said.
"There was no denying that she was fully all in when it came ot life, when it came to supporting organizations, when it came to supporting things she felt passionate about," Gilda's Club president Wendy Wigger said.
Upton began Women's Lifestyle magazine more than 20 years ago.
"She saw a very distinct void in our community for a good publication for women," Women's Lifestyle Magazine sales manager Susie Gordon said.
Using positivity to help others undergoing cancer treatment or just in need of some help.
"The magic that surrounds that woman's life was just absolutely incredible," Anderson said. "All I needed to do was whisper her name somewhere and the red carpet would come out, people were just in love with her."
"She was somebody who really was an example of how you journey through life with a cancer diagnosis," Wigger said.
Her spunk, her energy and her style are felt everywhere.
"It was almost like hard to contain the energy that she had for life and the things that she did," Wigger said.
"I am wearing a Victoria Upton dress today, from her attic, a Victoria Upton original," Anderson said. "She let us pick through her stuff and I grabbed a couple of '70s dresses and I just had to laugh as I threw this on this morning because it's so Victoria, it's just outrageous, it's so funny and so fun."
She leaves behind her family, her friends and her magazine.
"I don't think she would have left if we weren't able to make it without her," Anderson said.
"Her spirit will live on, if anyone's will it's hers," Gordon said.
Victoria entered into ArtPrize this year in the 2-dimensional category. Her piece is called the Biblical Garden and you can find it inside the Grand Central Market and Deli, downtown when ArtPrize begins.
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