1944
Philip
2015
Philip "Brown Bear" Duprey
February 6, 1944 — February 27, 2015
Philip M. "Brown Bear" Duprey age 71,of 198 Neil St., Saranac Lake, passed away at home on Friday February 27, 2015 under the loving care of family and High Peaks Hospice, after a long, courageous battle with colon cancer.
He was born Feb. 6, 1944, in Lake Placid, N.Y., the son of Philip and Mae (Strack) Duprey of Ray Brook, N.Y.
An outstanding high school athlete, he attended Saranac Lake High School, excelling in football, baseball, basketball, track, and hockey, being awarded many red varsity letters, and awarded the Lions Club Trophy as outstanding football player of the year.
In 1991, he was inducted into the SLHS Athletic Hall of Fame.
On July 17, 1970, he was married to Margaret (Madge) Oehmke in Saranac Lake, by Paul Dupree.
Mr. Duprey was a heavy equipment operator for the Village of Saranac Lake, where he retired after 27 years of service.
Phil was a competitive bobsled brakeman, being named to three Winter Olympic Teams -1968 in Grenoble, France, 1972 in Sapporo, Japan, and in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria. He was also a five-time World Team Bobsledder- 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, and 1975. He won the two-man bobsled Deterding Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland in 1967 and he was a member of the winning four-man sled at the 1967 North American Championships. He volunteered during the 1980 Winter Olympics, and was a member of the Lake Placid Track Officials Assoc. for multiple World Championships and World Cup Races. He was a consultant to Nascar driver Geoff Bodine, who founded the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc. in 1992.
On Dec. 13, 2014, he was inducted into the USA Bobsled Hall of Fame. His inductions into his high school and the bobsled hall of fame gave him a great deal of honor.
He played softball for many years in the Black Fly league, as well as umpired for the league many years after. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and outdoorsman. He loved the NY Yankees, NY Giants, and Nascar races. In 2010, he was honored to be in the winning circle with his good friend, Boris Said, when he won the Nationwide Nascar Race in Montreal, Canada.
He was a member of St. Bernard’s parish, the SL#457 Moose lodge, BPOE# 1508 Elks Lodge, and the SL Sons of the American Legion.
Survivors include his loving wife, Madge, of 44 years; four sisters, Helen Turmel of Saranac Lake, Dale Prividera of Albany, Susan (Bill) Thompson, of North Port, Fl., and Mary Duprey, of Slingerlands; and one brother, Stephen Duprey, of Saranac Lake. Also, sisters-in-law,
Catherine (Kitty) Cullen and companion, Jim Harding, of Clermont, Flo, Grace (Bruce) Kent, of Perkiomenville, Pa., Eileen (Charles) McMillen, of East Greenville, Pa., and Mya Duprey, of Lake Clear. He is also survived by his father-in-law, Francis Oehmke, of Tupper Lake, N.Y., and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Phil was predeceased by his parents, his only child, Philip M. Duprey, Jr., his brother, Charles Duprey, a nephew, Michael Turmel, and his beloved Doberman Pinscher, Bridget.
Calling hours will take place at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Tuesday March 3, 2015 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 Pm at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home. A mass of Christian burial will take place at 11:00 AM on Wednesday at St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake with Rev. Patrick Ratigan officiating. Burial will take place in the spring at St. Bernard's Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Phil's memory may be made to the Oncology Unit, @ Adirondack Health, or to High Peaks Hospice. Phil and his family are very grateful for the wonderful care he received @ Adirondack Health, and High Peaks Hospice, and from Dr. Adam Abodeely and staff. Family and friends are invited to share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome
Elks Lodge
Moose Lodge
Sons of the American Legion
The insignias listed here may be subject to copyright and / or trademarked. Those copyrights and trademarks are owned by the respective organizations.
He was born Feb. 6, 1944, in Lake Placid, N.Y., the son of Philip and Mae (Strack) Duprey of Ray Brook, N.Y.
An outstanding high school athlete, he attended Saranac Lake High School, excelling in football, baseball, basketball, track, and hockey, being awarded many red varsity letters, and awarded the Lions Club Trophy as outstanding football player of the year.
In 1991, he was inducted into the SLHS Athletic Hall of Fame.
On July 17, 1970, he was married to Margaret (Madge) Oehmke in Saranac Lake, by Paul Dupree.
Mr. Duprey was a heavy equipment operator for the Village of Saranac Lake, where he retired after 27 years of service.
Phil was a competitive bobsled brakeman, being named to three Winter Olympic Teams -1968 in Grenoble, France, 1972 in Sapporo, Japan, and in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria. He was also a five-time World Team Bobsledder- 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, and 1975. He won the two-man bobsled Deterding Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland in 1967 and he was a member of the winning four-man sled at the 1967 North American Championships. He volunteered during the 1980 Winter Olympics, and was a member of the Lake Placid Track Officials Assoc. for multiple World Championships and World Cup Races. He was a consultant to Nascar driver Geoff Bodine, who founded the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc. in 1992.
On Dec. 13, 2014, he was inducted into the USA Bobsled Hall of Fame. His inductions into his high school and the bobsled hall of fame gave him a great deal of honor.
He played softball for many years in the Black Fly league, as well as umpired for the league many years after. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and outdoorsman. He loved the NY Yankees, NY Giants, and Nascar races. In 2010, he was honored to be in the winning circle with his good friend, Boris Said, when he won the Nationwide Nascar Race in Montreal, Canada.
He was a member of St. Bernard’s parish, the SL#457 Moose lodge, BPOE# 1508 Elks Lodge, and the SL Sons of the American Legion.
Survivors include his loving wife, Madge, of 44 years; four sisters, Helen Turmel of Saranac Lake, Dale Prividera of Albany, Susan (Bill) Thompson, of North Port, Fl., and Mary Duprey, of Slingerlands; and one brother, Stephen Duprey, of Saranac Lake. Also, sisters-in-law,
Catherine (Kitty) Cullen and companion, Jim Harding, of Clermont, Flo, Grace (Bruce) Kent, of Perkiomenville, Pa., Eileen (Charles) McMillen, of East Greenville, Pa., and Mya Duprey, of Lake Clear. He is also survived by his father-in-law, Francis Oehmke, of Tupper Lake, N.Y., and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Phil was predeceased by his parents, his only child, Philip M. Duprey, Jr., his brother, Charles Duprey, a nephew, Michael Turmel, and his beloved Doberman Pinscher, Bridget.
Calling hours will take place at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home on Tuesday March 3, 2015 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 Pm at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home. A mass of Christian burial will take place at 11:00 AM on Wednesday at St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake with Rev. Patrick Ratigan officiating. Burial will take place in the spring at St. Bernard's Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Phil's memory may be made to the Oncology Unit, @ Adirondack Health, or to High Peaks Hospice. Phil and his family are very grateful for the wonderful care he received @ Adirondack Health, and High Peaks Hospice, and from Dr. Adam Abodeely and staff. Family and friends are invited to share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome
Elks Lodge
Moose Lodge
Sons of the American Legion
The insignias listed here may be subject to copyright and / or trademarked. Those copyrights and trademarks are owned by the respective organizations.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Philip "Brown Bear" Duprey, please visit our flower store.
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