It is with great sadness & much pride that we share this tribute to Victoria Upton, Publisher and Founder of Women's LifeStyle Magazine.
Grand Rapids, MI —Victoria Upton, publisher and founder of Women's LifeStyle Magazine, died of brain cancer on Wed., Sept. 5, 2018, at her home in Grand Rapids surrounded by family. She was 63.
Victoria founded Women's LifeStyle Magazine, the Grand Rapid's Edition, in 1998 as a positive force to uplift women and enhance her community and her experiences within in it. Through her publication, she was a passionate champion of the voiceless and elevated untold stories into the spotlight.
On April 1, 1998 Upton's tenacity was realized when the first edition of Women's LifeStyle Magazine (then called Women's Edition) hit the stands. For 20 years it has evolved with the advent of social media and revolutions in publishing technology, but the mission has remained the same.
Victoria was a woman of immeasurable gifts, one of which was to give of herself entirely to whomever or whatever she encountered. She was an ardent supporter of local and women-owned businesses, the arts and social equity. She was fiercely dedicated to local institutions through her volunteer efforts and partnerships with the Community Media Center, Local First, ArtPrize, Spectrum Health Community Engagement, Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women, Gilda's Club, American Heart Association, Grand JazzFest and many more. She was honored by numerous organizations, including the Van Andel Institute, the American Heart Association and the Grand Rapids Legacy Luncheon.
Through her robust vision, vigorous involvement and unfailing ability to carve the extraordinary out of the mundane, she was known as an insatiably positive and inimitable force of inspiration across West Michigan. Her boundless enthusiasm and support directly impacted many in the community. Victoria was fearless in her battle with cancer and persisted as a radiant beacon of optimism and joy during her darkest hours.
Women's LifeStyle Magazine will continue to be published on a monthly basis.