Susan Upshaw Piland Boyle

Susan Upshaw Piland Boyle, age 74, passed away on Tuesday, November 15th, 2022. A daughter

of the late Arthur and Doris Upshaw, she was also preceded in death by her older brother Art

Upshaw.

Susan attended Southern Seminary Junior College for Women, UNC-Chapel-Hill, and earned a BA

in education at Jacksonville University in 1970. Susan taught for 38 years and in addition to caring

for many Asheville families' children, she returned as a tutor, interim and substitute teacher for 11

years after retirement. She positively impacted the lives of the many children she taught as well as

the families whose children she cared for.

Over her life Susan traveled extensively. In addition to North Carolina, she lived in Florida;

California; Ontario, Canada, and Hawaii. A resident of Asheville for the past 27 years, Susan loved

the natural beauty of the mountains but truly felt at home by the sea. She looked on the bright side

of life, even during her battle with leukemia. Susan was a voracious reader, and she displayed a

subtle but infectious sense of humor. She lived and taught by example, and will be dearly missed by

her family and those who knew her as the sweetest, kindest and most caring person who always put

others first.

Susan is survived by her spouse, Stephen Boyle, daughter Lucy Snow and her husband Adam

Snow, son Sam Piland and wife Claire Stanhope; brother and sister, Andy Upshaw and Lisa McRae,

former spouse Gordon Piland, and her 4 adored grandchildren: Finn and Sadie Snow and Willa and

Cosette Piland.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in her honor to the Leukemia and Lymphoma

Society or The Arc of Buncombe County. A celebration of life will be held for her many friends and family in the New Year. 

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