Raymond P Dupuis

Raymond Paul Dupuis, (Tsgt, USAF RET) died December 28, 2013 at Androscoggin Valley Hospital after a long illness. He was born in Berlin November 16, 1931 and attended Notre Dame High School. Just months before the start of the Korean War, he joined the 210th Air Defense Artillery Battalion in the NH National Guard and deciding he wanted to do more for his country, he enlisted in the United States Air Force on January 19, 1950. Following the Korean War, and after becoming an experience load master at the rank of Technical Sergeant, he served in the Vietnam War. His unit delivered supplies and equipment, and had the job of loading and transporting fallen military members home to the United States in the C-130A Transport Plane. For that this unit was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award; awarded to units which have outstanding achievement that clearly sets the unit above national or international significance, combat operations against an armed enemy of the United States, or military operations involving conflict with or exposure to hostile actives by an opposing foreign force. Ray clocked more than 30,000 hours of flight time in his 22 years of service. He was presented the Air Force Good Conduct Medal w/2 Bronze Loops, Air Force Longevity Service Award w/2 Bronze Oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal (Army) w 4/Bronze Loops, Korean Service Medal. His duty assignments included Grenier AFB, NH, 1202 ASU, Portland, Maine, 3704 Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) San Antonio, Texas, 1264th AT Squadron, 1500th AT, 1600the Air Traffic Squadron, Westover AFB, Mass. Travis AFB, MAC 44 MAS Fairfield, CA., Offutt Air Force Base, Looking Glass Airborne Command, Bellevue, NE with service outside Continental United States; Hawaii, Guam, Turkey, Germany, Japan. After retiring from the Air Force, he resided in Berlin, NH and owned and operated Norge Village in Berlin a Laundromat and dry cleaners. As he grew the business, he expanded to a commercial cleaners. He later moved to Milan, NH to live on waterfront property because of his love of fishing and boating. He enjoyed building ice skating rinks on the pond for his children and grandchildren. He also started an ice making business at his residence while still running the commercial cleaners. He was the beloved husband of Elsie (Dawson) Dupuis. He was predeceased by a son Thomas Dupuis. Ray is survived by 3 daughters: Anna Mallett and her husband Craig, Debra Poirier, Sandra Dumont and her husband Mitch, 2 sons: Donald Dupuis and his wife Patricia, and Michael Dupuis. 7 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by a sister Pauline McKelvey and her husband John of Berlin, NH and a brother Bernard Dupuis and his wife Jenny of Winchester, VA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday January 3, 2014 at 10 AM at St. Anne Church of Good Shepherd Parish. Interment will be held at the Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Military Honors will be held after the service. Relatives and friends may call at the Bryant Funeral Home, 180 Hillside Ave., on Thursday evening from 6 to 8 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Chaplain Emergency Relief Fund, PO Box 3448, Concord, NH, 03302-3448 or the Veterans Count, Easter Seals New Hampshire, 435 South Main St., Manchester, NH, 03102.