NEW HAVEN, Vt./BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — Francis Paul Dupoise, 100 years young, passed away to be with his wife and his Lord on March 29, 2021. He was born July 13, 1920, to Frank and Sophronia (Narrrabone) Dupoise in Middlebury, Vt., across the street from his grandparents’ house on Seymour Street.
He grew up for the most part in Weybridge on his parents’ farm on Route 23. He spent a couple of years in East Middlebury when his parents decided during the depression to rent their farm in Weybridge and run the Town Farm in East Middlebury. He finished his early education at the end of eighth grade from the one-room, brick schoolhouse in Weybridge, across from what is now Monument Farms Dairy. At that time, parents had to pay tuition to attend high school in Middlebury and that wasn’t an option.
He went to work on a few farms, mostly in Weybridge. First, on Joe Brown’s farm, currently owned by Monument Farms, near the Hager Farm. Later he worked for Ben Wales, a little farther down Route 23, and then to the Chaulker Farm in New Haven that the Mckinley family now owns. He also worked for the Town of Weybridge loading trucks with gravel by hand in the gravel pit.
He eventually found work that he loved, doing carpentry for Leonard Zyman in and around Middlebury. This opportunity taught him the skills that he shared with his family, having had a hand in building all three of his children’s homes or garages, as well as many of his grandchildren’s.
He met the love of his life, Helen Cyr at a card party. They were married in 1942. A few short years later, in 1946, they bought their home in New Haven. Later that year, he took what was meant to be a seasonal job, when carpentry work was scarce; it turned out to be his life’s work. The small upstart business, Polymers, Inc., was located in the Cartmell Complex, now the Marble Works, specifically, where the Addison Press currently calls home. The two owners, Gil Shaw and Al Drews, hired “Frank” as their second employee. Shortly after, the first guy quit. As their little business grew, he started to help assemble new equipment that arrived in crates. He was instrumental in supervising the establishment of the new facility that was erected off Route 116 in the early 1960’s. His title was “Works Manager,” which entailed managing the construction and maintenance shops. He also designed much of the equipment that was used in the extrusion process of making fibers. He told many stories of the great friends he made with the people he worked with. He also mastered the understanding of plumbing and electrical service while there. He took night drafting courses at the Middlebury High School to learn how to design some of the equipment that was put into service while working at Polymers.
Being a farm boy, he wasn’t drafted into the military for World War II, but he was required to go to school to learn to spot and listen for planes. At night, after working all day, he had to share in shifts to sit on a hill off Route 125 in Cornwall to listen and spot planes. He was taught to identify U.S. planes from those of the other nations and report them to the authorities. He did eventually go for his physical for the draft but fortunately the war ended before he was drafted.
Francis was an officer for the Middlebury Credit Union for 25 years and also served on the Pastoral Committee of St. Mary’s Parish in Middlebury for eight years.
He and Helen spent many years square dancing and many nights around the table playing cards with family and friends. After he retired they took their camper and made two trips across the country. Camping was a great pastime for them. It started in the early 60s when their oldest son was stationed in South Carolina for the Air Force and continued until the mid-90s. In 1989 they bought their winter home in Bonita Springs, Fla., where they resided every winter thereafter.
Francis was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Helen, shortly after celebrating 78 years of marriage; his brother David and his wife Marilyn; and his son-in-law Richard Verba. He is survived by his three children, Paul (Shirley Anne) Dupoise, Linda Verba, and Steve (Marcia) Dupoise; his six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A celebration of his life will be held later this year.◊