Obituary: Laura Clarice Dupré, 99

Laura Clarice Dupré of Lawrence Township died on March 26.

The daughter of Mark Hough Smith and Helen Leigh McKernin, she was born Dec. 12, 1926, in Woonsocket, R.I. There she met her friend and husband of 64 years, Gerald A. Dupré.

During WWII, they wrote every day as Jerry served in the U.S. Navy and Laura worked at Macy's in Herald Square. After the war, they married and spent most of their lives on Long Island, N.Y.

They raised five children while Laura kept a house that was always full of neighborhood children. They lived in Anderson, S.C. for 10 years and moved to Lawrence Township last year. As a member of one of the oldest families in Rhode Island, Laura was always a gracious New England lady who was loved by everyone she met.

Laura leaves three siblings, Mark Edward Smith of Florida, Dorothy Larcombe of Long Island, and Frances Hogan of California. She is pre-deceased by her husband, Jerry, and their daughter, Laura Anne Theune of Anderson, S.C.

She leaves four other children, John and wife Cheryl of Rougemont, N.C., Robert and wife Sue Ann of Lawrence Township, Denise and husband Stuart Thompson of Anderson, S.C., and Gerald and wife Francine of Holbrook, N.Y. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Laura and Jerry's ashes will be interred at Washington Crossing National Cemetery on April 13 at 2:30 p.m. Memorial donations may be sent to The Yonso Project, 45 Pigeon Pond Rd., Plainfield, Vt. 05667 or to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73123-1718.

Friends may call Thursday, March 29, from 6-8 p.m. at the Wilson-Apple Funeral Home, 2560 Pennington Rd., Pennington.