Francois N. Dupuis

Francois N. Dupuis, 81, of Wethersfield, died peacefully at home Friday night surrounded by family. He was born February 6, 1936 in Springfield, Massachusetts to Joseph Aime Dupuis and Lucienne (Morin) Dupuis. He is survived by his beloved wife, Barbara Anne (McCue) Dupuis of over 58 years. They met at school and in Catholic Youth Organization meetings at Sacred Heart Church and they were married October 25, 1958. Francois was enlisted in the Army at the time of his marriage, so Barbara boldly followed him to where he was stationed in Germany. Francois played the clarinet and saxophone in the Army band until the couple returned to the states for the birth of their first child. For several years he worked as a volunteer Fireman for the Town of Wethersfield. They lived in Rocky Hill for seventeen years, where Francois was known as a community leader involved as a Cub scouts leader and town representative. He coached Little League baseball and also served as Vice President of IBEW Local 35 Electrical Union.

After briefly relocating to Maud, Texas and Lynchburg, Virginia, Francois and Barbara returned to Connecticut and settled in Old Wethersfield, where they lived with and cared for Barbara’s parents for over 20 years. Francois remained involved with Church activity and volunteered to bring Communion to the sick every week for over 30 years. He also spent more than ten years as a faithful member of Sacred Heart Church Choir and an extraordinary harmonica player, where he sang as an expression of a deep and abiding faith. About ten years ago, he was honored by Archbishop Mansell with the St. Joseph’s Medal of Appreciation for his service to the church.

In addition to raising his children, he also was a man who made family a priority and had twenty grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Francois was a devoted father and family man as well as loving husband to Barbara for over 58 years. He enjoyed sailing his sailboat and gardening, always making sure there were fresh flowers on the table for his wife from the garden. He also enjoyed travelling and visiting family whenever the opportunity arose.

He is predeceased by two sisters and a brother: Julie McCann, Paul Dupuis, and Louise Yard. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his brother Andre Dupuis and his wife Ava of Texarkana, Texas and his eight children: Marianne Bennett and her husband Peter of Ridgewood, New Jersey; Gregory Dupuis and his wife Maureen of Stafford Springs; Laura Wyjadka and her husband Steven of Glenside, Pennsylvania; Mark Dupuis and his wife Patty of Glen Alen, Virginia; Stephen Dupuis and his wife Carolyn of Suffield; John Dupuis and his wife Deborah of Hebron; Francois Dupuis Jr. and his wife Erin of Enfield; Michelle Dupuis of Wethersfield. He is also survived by his twenty grandchildren: Aimee Dupuis, Sarah Skillings and her husband Ian of South Glastonbury, Ellen Fitzpatrick and her wife Danielle of Hopkington, Massachusetts, Christine Bennett and her fiance Brandon Flon of Newfoundland, New Jersey, Matthew Bennett, Andrew Bennett, Stephanie Wyjadka, Valerie Wyjadka, Mary Watson and her husband Mason of Columbus, Ohio, Timothy Dupuis, Anne Dupuis, Kimberly Dupuis, Joshua Dupuis, Kristen Dupuis, Ethan Dupuis, Sean Dupuis, Autumn Dupuis, Isabel Dupuis, Emmalyn Dupuis and Adalae Dupuis and one great-grandchild, Graham Skillings.

Funeral Services will begin Wednesday at 10:00 am at D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am at Sacred Heart Church. Burial will follow at Village Cemetery. The family will receive relatives and friends on Tuesday from 4-7pm at the funeral chapel.

In lieu of flowers, friends and family may make donations in honor of Mr. Dupuis to either:

The Guild of St. Agnes Home, Inc,

104 Mayflower St.,

West Hartford, CT 06110

or

Sacred Heart Church,

56 Hartford Ave.,

Wethersfield, CT 06109

For online expressions of sympathy, please visit www.desopo.com