Upton Gautier

Mr. Upton R. Gautier, 95, of St. Martin, MS, died Friday, July 31, 2009, in Ocean Springs, MS.
Mr. Upton was born in Pascagoula and was a lifelong resident of St. Martin. He was proud of his familyaÌ‚â‚â„¢s accomplishments and heritage, including his father captaining the boat that built the original beach along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Mr. Upton worked nearly all his life - by the age of 10 he had a paper route delivering from The Point to the Buena Vista. He graduated from Biloxi High School in 1931, Salutatorian for his class while at the same time doing bookkeeping and clerical work. As a young man he then became the plant manager for Standard Oil Company.
In 1948 he teamed up with brother-in-law Louis Fayard to create the Fayard & Gautier Contracting Company. Together they built more than 2000 homes from St. Martin to Biloxi, including homes in Fayard Place, Suburban Acres, Windsor Park, Cedar Grove, Gulf Hills as well as individual projects along Porter Avenue and surrounding the old Biloxi High School. In 1961 he established Bay Waterworks Inc., providing water services to the Cedar Grove area. In 1986 he went into semi-retirement, continuing to manage commercial real estate and work on smaller projects.
Upton was an avid golfer, a competitive bridge player, enjoyed square dancing with the Magnolia Swingers and attending many a carnival ball. Even after retirement, he enjoyed his morning coffee times with friends at Hancock Bank in St. Martin. He was also a life-long member of The 1st Methodist Church of Biloxi.
Mr. Upton married his childhood sweetheart, Shirley C. Fayard in 1936. They were married 68 years, but were together for 74 years. Shirley was always his girl, and he missed her terribly after her passing in 2004.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley F. Gautier; parents Adam and Mercee`Inez Jane` Gautier; brothers Fernando Gautier, Henry Gautier, Horace Gautier, Harry Gautier and Frank Gautier; sisters Catheleene Gautier, Inez White, Virginia Gautier, Ruth Purdy, Mercee Gautier and Marguerite Moore.
Survivors include his son, James U. Gautier; granddaughters Rene` (& Robert) Mullins, Michelle Evans and Cathy Gautier; great grandchildren Ceann Lewis, Jacob Mullins, Marie Wheatley, Debbie Wheatley, Brianna Evans and Cathleen Gautier; and one great-great grandson, Grayson Shane Huson.
A special thank you Dymphna Schmitt who spent time caring for our grandfather in his last days, and most especially to our sister Michelle who lived with and cared for our grandfather for the last five years. Our grandfather could not have been in better hands.
Visitation will be Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at 10am with the funeral service to follow at 11am, RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Rd., Biloxi, MS. Burial will follow at Southern Memorial Cemetery.
An online guestbook may be viewed and signed at www.riemannfamily.com.