Photos from the Dupre Family. Top photo: Coty Dupre at Coty Dupre Lane
BOBBY ARDOIN
Contributing Writer
Funeral services are scheduled Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Lafayette for St. Landry Parish native and longtime Acadiana-area businessman Coty Reginald Dupre Sr., who died Sunday while surrounded by family members.
Dupre 94, who was born and grew up in the Mondeville area near Grand Prairie, spent over a half century successfully operating agricultural finance and oil-related corporations after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, graduating from SLI (now UL-Lafayette) and marrying Wilda Chachere, his wife of 72 years.
During his lifetime Dupre was also a member of numerous civic and armed forces veterans organizations.
According to stories that he told to others, Dupre and his siblings grew up on a farm owned by his parents, Cornelius and Jeanette Dupre, until 1944 when he joined the Navy. During his military service, Dupre saw action aboard a warship operating in the Pacific Theatre.
Corneilus Dupre, according to Dupre family members, arrived in St. Landry Parish aboard one of the many orphan trains which left New York during the early 20th century.
An obituary posted on the Martin&Castille Southside Funeral Home website states that in 1950 Coty Dupre finished SLI and after his wedding, began working as a farm loan consultant.
Several years later Dupre began a 35-year association with Canal Refinery, starting as a company sales manager. Several years later Dupre became Canal president.
During his affiliation with Canal, Dupre became a household television celebrity with his animated local commercials that captured the attention of television viewers in households across the Acadiana viewing area.
In 1988 the obituary said, Dupre retired from Canal and began operating oil transport companies, such as Dupre Transport, LLC and Dupre Logistics, LLC.
Services for Dupre will be held at St. Pius Catholic Church in Lafayette followed by burial in Bellevue Memorial Park in Opelousas.
In addition to his wife, Wilda Chachere Dupre, Coty Dupre is survived by five children and numerous grand children and great grand-children. Also Dupre is survived by one brother, Bobby Dupre of Opelousas.
Funeral home visitation at 600 East Farrel Road in Lafayette will be held from 8 a.m. until 9:30.
Dupre has requested that donations in his name can be made to either Hope For Opelousas at 330 E. Madison in Opelousas or the Orphan Train Museum, also located in Opelousas.
