Charles Merritt Northup, M.D.

Charles Merritt Northup, 70, passed away on Monday April 27, 2020 in his longtime home of Ft. Myers, FL. “Charlie,” as he was known by most, was born in 1949 in Avon Park, FL, the youngest child of Clytee B. White and Edwin C. Northup and younger brother to Linda.  In the 1950’s the Northup’s moved to St. Petersburg, FL, and it was there that Charlie spent much of his youth and developed the passion for his lifelong hobby of fishing.  Charlie later met his future wife Nancy Pechin also of St. Petersburg, and they were wed there in 1970.  He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, stationed in Germany.  After returning home, he attended Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and graduated with honors with a degree in chemistry. Charlie followed in the footsteps of his father Ed and pursued a career as a medical doctor, attending Georgia State Medical College, where he graduated in 1978 and chose a specialty in emergency medicine.  He did his residency at Michigan State University under Dr. John Wiegenstein, the father of emergency medicine.  In 1981 Charlie, Nancy and their young daughter Alison moved to Ft. Myers, FL, where Charlie worked as an emergency physician at Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center for over 20 years, and later as treasurer for Southwest Florida Emergency Medical Physicians, PA, a medical group of which he was a founding member.  It was also in Ft. Myers where Charlie and Nancy had their second and third daughters, Kristin and Robyn. An avid boater and fisherman since childhood, Charlie enjoyed many fishing trips on the gulf and in the Florida Keys with his family and friends, particularly enjoying fishing for snook, grouper, snapper and mahi-mahi as well as lobstering during Florida mini season. Charlie was also a self-taught PC builder.  Volunteering PC’s he built, he contributed to the Folding@Home computing project for simulating protein dynamics for some time.  Charlie retired from his work with his emergency medicine group in 2015. 

He is survived by his wife Nancy; their daughters, Alison, Kristin and Robyn; grandson, Brayden and granddaughter, Jenny; his sister, Linda Carter and her husband John.

 In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Charlie’s name to The Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, PO BOX 11010, Tallahassee, FL 32302.

For details on the memorial service, please contact kristinnorthup@gmail.com

Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Fort Myers, is entrusted with final care.