It is with great sadness that the family of Ernest W. Mease of Toledo announce his passing at
the advanced age of 99 on Sept. 11, 2024, at Hospice in Toledo. He is survived by his spouse, Joyce of Toledo; daughter Melissa Mease of Maumee; son David (Kathryn) Mease of San Jose, California; and a dear brother, Norman Mease; and family who reside in Boyds, Maryland.
Ernie and his twin sister Carolyn (now deceased) were born at home in Washington, D.C. on
May 1, 1925. Father Ralph T. Mease and mother Eva Nye Mease have predeceased.
Ernie was a calm, refined, educated, and respected gentleman who served following high
school graduation as a proud U.S. Navy SEABEE in WWII. Following WWII (where Ernie
served as a machinist’s mate on a ship involved in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and was part of Gen.
McArthur’s “return”), Ernie was honorably discharged in 1946 with rank of Petty Officer
Machinist’s Mate 2; he then attended Lehigh University on the G.I. Bill, graduating with a
bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Always fond of autos and mechanics, he was
hired first in Philadelphia by Toledo’s Haughton Elevator Company supervising elevator
installation. Then Haughton transferred him to Toledo as a supervisor where he became quite
the “social man about Toledo town” dating many gals. He and Joyce, married for 54 years, met
when skating with the Toledo Figure Skating Club at the Sports Arena. He was also proud of
his service to our country and joined the VFW whose members had fought abroad as he did.
He joined American Legion Toledo Post 335, serving at one point as Post Commander. He
joined Swanton Post 479 as a Legion “Son.” (Ernie’s father was the initial Legion Post
Commander in a town in Pennsylvania after the first World War.) Since leaving Haughton,
Ernie also enjoyed constructing and renovating apartments and houses in Toledo and
Bowling Green and was a successful landlord. His family and his dear Border Collie Casey
were all-important in his life.
Always interested in boating, Ernie purchased a 23-foot hard-top Bayliner, named it Shangri-La
(after the infamous WWII Doolittle Raiders), docked at the Maumee River Yacht Club, also
spending weeks cruising with his brother and Toledo Sail & Power Squadron.
Ernie suffered a massive heart attack at age 53 then subsequently two bouts of pneumonia
later in his life. The last bout of aspiration pneumonia caused his breathing, energy, and
activities to deteriorate dramatically. When asked about living in good health for 99 years, he
would reply that he owed it all to his doctors and to the VA! He also made it a habit to
exercise on a daily basis.
“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; May the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job
1:21)
