Born: February 10, 1919
Died: May 1, 1993
Married: Vivian Noelk, 1943 (died 1973); Beverly Tripp, 1977
Children: Donald V. Dupree, Jr., Mrs. Judith Anne Worden
Donald Victor Dupree, known as "Ducker," was an Olympic bobsledder, a construction worker, a Saranac Lake Village trustee, and a World War II veteran. He was one of five sons of Syriac Duprey, Jr. who served in World War II.
According to Howard Riley's column in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise of 1/26/2013, Donald Dupree, one of 150 soldiers from the Parish Honor Roll, had been "adopted" by Joan Cole, a student at St. Bernard's School, to pray for him each morning and night.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 3, 1993
Donald V. Dupree
SARANAC LAKE — Donald V. Dupree, Sr., 74, of 3 Center Street, died Saturday, May 1, 1993, at the Adirondack Medical Center at Saranac Lake.
Born Feb. 10, 1919 at the home of his parents at 4 Merrill Street, he was the son of Syriac and Mary Etta (McGrain) Dupree Jr. (III). He was one of 13 children.
He was a graduate of Saranac Lake High School and attended Colorado State College. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army. He served during World War II, from July 17, 1941 to Dec. 22, 1945. He was in the first troop deployment to arrive in Pearl Harbor after the Dec. 7 bombing. He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in 1943. During his military service, he served four-and-a-half years in the intelligence OSS, in the Pacific and Burma. He was commissioned to 1st Lt. while on active duty and volunteered for Burma duty, serving with Merrill's Mauraders. He also served with the OSS in Kunming, China.
Upon returning home from the military, he entered the construction business with his father and brothers, as Dupree and Sons. Among the structures built by the family were the Thompson building, the Eagles Nest, and post-war remodeling of many of the older homes in the community. He had also worked on the construction of the New York State Thruway. He later was employed by North Country Community College as the director of buildings and grounds, retiring in 1981. He was then called back as clerk of the works of the new maintenance building and was kept on for a time in the building and grounds department.
He was an active bobsledder from 1936 to 1952. He received a bronze medal as a member of the 1948 Olympic four-man bobsled team. The sled was driven by Jim Bickford, and also included his brother, Billy Dupree, and Tom Hicks. He was also a charter member of the Saranac Lake Bobsled Club. He served as chairman of many committees in World Bobsled Championships. In 1946, at the age of 26, he became the youngest elected Saranac Lake Village trustee, serving as a Republican trustee for one term. He had also served as chairman of the Saranac Lake Village Republican Committee, chairman of the North Elba Assessment Review Board, was a member of the North Elba Planning Board, a member and trustee of the B.P.O.E, Elks Lodge No. 1508, a member of the American Legion, and was inducted into the Saranac Lake Redskin Hall of Fame in 1992.
He married Vivian Noelk in 1943. She died on Nov. 25, 1973. He then married Beverly Tripp, in Saranac Lake, on July 9, 1977.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Donald V. Jr. of Bath; one daughter, Mrs. Judith Anne Worden of Bath; two stepsons, Joseph L. Rinella of the State Department, abroad, and Gregory F. Rinella of Warrensburg, Mo.; two stepdaughters, Teresa M. Hafler of Alplaus, and Beverly Anne Rinella, of Hartford, Conn.; three sisters, Mrs. Edward (Marie) Fogarty of Saranac Lake, Mrs. Dean (Muriel) Anson of Marion, Ohio, and Mrs. Edward (Elizabeth) Doyle of Saranac Lake; two brothers, Raymond of Fort Covington, and Robert of Saranac Lake; 13 grandchildren, one great-grandson, and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by two sisters, Eileen Wood and Leona Dupree, and three brothers, William, Bernard and Paul.
Calling hours will be from 7 to 9 p.m. today and from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday May 4 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home. An American Legion Service will be held at 7:45 tonight followed by an Elks service at 8. A Bible vigil service will be held at 8 p.m. Tuesday. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday at St. Bernard's Church. Burial will be at a later date in the Pine Ridge Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the High Peaks Hospice or St. Bernard's School in care of the funeral home.
Lake Placid News, October 20, 1944
Lt. Dupree Wounded
Lt. Donald V. Dupree, son of Village Trustee and Mrs. Syriac Dupree of Saranac Lake was wounded while serving in the India. Burma theatre of operations. Three Pieces of shrapnel entered the Saranac Lake soldier's right leg, a small particle entered his throat and another his face, close to his eye.
Donald V. Dupree Resigns Office as Saranac Trustee1
The resignation of Donald V. Dupree as a member of the village board of trustees has been submitted to the board, Mayor Alton B. Anderson has announced.
The resignation will take effect on Dec. 1 and was prompted, the Mayor said, by Mr. Dupree's desire to return to the Armed Forces and make this a life career.
The Republican trustee is serving his second term of office for the village. He was reelected last March, when he and Willis H. Currier won unanimously.
Although the resignation is not effective until Dec. 1st, the Mayor reported that Mr. Dupree is not expected to attend future board meetings. Mr. Anderson has made no comment on a successor to the office, appointment of whom must be made prior to Dec. 1.
A veteran of World War II.
Mr. Dupree left college to enter service In 1941. He served overseas until the following year at which time he returned to attend Officers Candidate school. He was commissioned in March, 1943 and was assigned to the OSS in the China-Burma-India theater.
He was in active combat service in intelligence and counter-intelligence and is a first lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps.
He is the son of Mrs. Syriac Dupree and the late Mr. Dupree, a former member of the village board. Since his return from service Mr. Dupree has been associated with the firm of S. Dupree Sons Construction company. He was a member of the 1948 Olympic Bobsled team and has been active in the formation of the proposed cresta run for the Mount Pisgah ski center.
He was elected in 1947 as a village trustee and was re-elected last March for a two-year term.
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Footnotes
1. The headline actually read "Donald F. Dupree"
