Reggie Updike

Reginald 'Reggie' Robert Updike, 72, of Marion, Iowa, gained his wings on Friday, December 31, 2021, at St. Luke's Hospital following a brief illness. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later date. Reggie was born November 10, 1949, in Prairie du Chein, Wisconsin, the son of Robert and Esther Updyke. He graduated high school in Wauzeka, Wisconsin in 1967. After this, he started his career as a trucker and finished in home construction. Over the years, he did many projects that he was very proud of. When he was asked what his greatest accomplishments in life were, he stated it was trucking and his construction business. Many of his friends and family that he worked with remember Reggie for being a hard, dedicated worker. Reggie loved spending time with his daughter, Candra. They had many trips together. A few of the most memorable ones were going to Wisconsin for family reunions, boating on the Mississippi and finding a sandbar where they would camp for the night, and taking a long drive to West Virginia where he took Candra to Virginia Beach to see the ocean for the first time. Reggie was always Candra's ear when she needed it, always listening when she needed someone to talk to. The most recent memories were going to breakfast together and spending the Thanksgiving holiday at Candra's house where Reggie requested pecan pie and he got TWO of them all to himself! Reggie was Candra's hero and is now her Guardian Angel. Many memories have been shared of Reggie. Family and friends remember Reggie 'playing' the drum with pencils and being pretty good at it, being the coolest dude in the world when he was younger, working together on homes with no blueprint; just Reggie's vision of what he wanted it to look like, Semi rides, motorcycle rides, long talks in the middle of the night with his cousin, his house in Elgin, Iowa, that had no stairs to get to the upper level; just a ladder that we had to climb up and down to go to bed and use the bathroom in the middle of the night, the kids helping him with remodeling projects, and many, many more. Reggie is survived by his daughter, Candra Updike; grandson, Cameron Updike; nephew, Jason Hilgerson; niece, Desi Breitbach; brother-in-law, Tom Breitbach; cousins, Keith Updyke, Wes Updyke, and Cindy Eastling,; and many other close family members and friends. Reggie was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Esther Updyke; sister, Pam Breitbach; uncle, Bud; and aunt, Nora. The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at St. Luke's Hospital for the support and care Reggie received. 'Those we love don't go away... They walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard but always near... Still loved, still missed, and very dear.' ' Toni Kane