Ernst Arnold Upmeyer III

Ernst Arnold Upmeyer, III of Clearwater passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. He was 86 years old.

Born on March 5, 1937, in New Orleans, Louisiana, during a brief stay in the area by his parents, Ernst A.Upmeyer, Jr. and Kathryn McMullen Upmeyer, he was quickly relocated to the only true home he’s ever known in the Clearwater area and set about establishing his life and legacy as a passionate native Floridian.

Ernst spent his youth growing up on Indian Rocks Beach, where he and his two siblings, Neil Upmeyer and Mary Kathryn Hardman, would go crabbing, play in the surf, and sleep outdoors on the porch in the soft, Florida nights. His childhood helped to instill his love of all things-Florida and the beauty of the natural surroundings he explored in his youth, which fundamentally shaped his adoration of his home state, the gift of its inherent beauty, and the inspiration it provided him as a future watercolor artist.
Ernst was a member of the first graduating class of Clearwater High School in 1955, and then went on to attend Duke University as an undergraduate, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1959. While enrolled
at Duke, Ernst made the decision to pursue Officer Candidate School (OCS), graduating with honors. After OCS, he attended Swim School and became a Navy Diver, then volunteering for Explosive Demolition training at Indian Head, MD, wherein he became an EOD specialist – one of the most dangerous professions among all areas of military service.

During his service, he and his team were deployed to the Alan Shepherd recovery team: they were at the launch site in case of an abort to pull Alan from his seat. His next chapter of service found him in Turkey, which was a profound experience for him. One particular memory involved waking up one morning during the Cuban missile crisis to see Turkish defense forces heading toward the Black Sea. Following that deployment, he was then assigned to Charleston, South Carolina. During his time in Charleston, the USS Meredith, a nuclear missile carrying ship stationed in Jacksonville, FL, caught fire. He and his team were deployed on an emergency basis to Jacksonville and wound up having to disassemble one of the nuclear armed missiles, destroying the remaining missiles as well. Ernst received a letter of commendation for his efforts involved in the disarming of the USS Meredith. His normal responsibilities in Charleston, and part of his teams’ duties, were to search the bottoms of submarines to ensure they were clear. Ernst spent five eventful years on active duty and was released from active duty in 1965.

While in Charleston, Ernst met who would become his wife of 59+ years, Gene Wilson, on a blind date. They married and moved back to Clearwater, where they would remain for the rest of Ernst’s life, and where they would raise their family: two daughters, Kerstin and Karin. Ernst then began the second chapter of his life as an executive, working for Florida Power for 30 years, and earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of South Florida in 1967. Following his retirement from Florida Power, Ernst became the Vice President of a consulting firm near Boston for the next 10
years, bringing his extensive experience and expertise to bear on projects based in the U.S. and abroad, including countries like Estonia.

Fulfilled by a lifetime of professional endeavors, Ernst and Gene enjoyed many years of retirement, wherein they traveled, enjoyed their home of 47 years in Belleair, and doted on their two loving grandchildren, Taylor and Brandon.

Ernst was a Renaissance man by its truest definition, as he was known for his incredible intellect, his gifts as an experienced artist (watercolors), his penchant for music and the arts, his love of reading, and his appreciation for the natural world (birding, nature photography, etc.).

He will be remembered by all who knew him as a kind, supportive, enthusiastic man with a wonderful sense of humor. By his family, he will simply be remembered as the best person they’ve ever known; a true gentleman, a scholar, a light that although extinguished, will never stop shining throughout our lives. Our “Dee Dee” – rest in peace. We love you.

Ernst is survived by his wife, Gene; his daughters Kerstin Upmeyer and her husband, Scott Andre; his daughter Karin Simpson and her husband Derek; his grandchildren Taylor and Brandon Eby; his sister, Mary Kathryn Hardman, her husband, Roy; and extended family. A private family service is pending; no public service has been arranged at this time.