Dr. Roger Allan Dupre of Bridgeville passed away on Oct. 8, 2023 at his home surrounded lovingly by his family. He was born on July 15, 1940 to Gerald and Beatrice Dupre in Central Falls, Rhode Island. After graduating from North Attleboro High School in Massachusetts, he went on to study at Providence College, graduating in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He received his PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Connecticut in 1968. His entire career was spent with DuPont in Seaford where he retired after 32 years as a Global Technical Group Manager.
He married his high school sweetheart, Derrith Lewis Dupre in 1961, and they were happily married for 62 beautiful years. They were blessed with four children. Roger was an avid sailor and enjoyed many years of sailing the Chesapeake Bay with his family and treasured friends in the Association of Seaford Sailors. After retirement, he and Derry split their time between homes in Seaford and Hobe Sound, Florida, where they enjoyed countless rounds of golf and spending time with family. They traveled the world together, always ready for the next great adventure.
He will be remembered by his quick wit and amazing sense of humor. His competitive nature was legendary, and he was the undisputed family champion of Scrabble. He loved eating blue crabs caught fresh from his sailboat, being the first to own the latest and greatest electronic gadget, movie nights with his family, calling out Jeopardy answers before anyone else, and the perfect martini.
Roger is survived by his loving wife Derrith Dupre; three children, Shannon Dupre Heckroth (Richard) of Newark, Sean Michael Dupre (Melisse) of Chester, Va., and Shelley Dupre Zimmerman (Joe) of Alpharetta, Ga.; seven grandchildren – Sarah and Nathan (Rory) Heckroth, Mikayla and Matthew Dupre, Gage Silling, Gracie and Grant Zimmerman; and one sister, Kathleen Dupre Doyle (Jay) of Ft. Myers, FL.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two older brothers, Dr. Gerald Dupre and Richard Dupre, and a daughter, Shay Leigh Dupre.
A funeral mass will be offered for family and friends at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Seaford at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 23. A Celebration of his Life will follow at the Heritage Shores Clubhouse in Bridgeville, at 12:30 p.m.
To leave a condolence visit www.cranstonfuneralhome.com.