Howard Dupuis

Howard Joseph Dupuis was born on December 20, 1933 to Howard and Mary Dupuis in Malone, NY. He was called Junior despite his dad having a different middle name. Howard was the oldest child, followed by siblings David and Alice who have predeceased him. After high school, Howard served 4 years as an Air Policeman in the Air Force during the Korean War. He was stationed in Pleasanton, California where he met his first wife Ruth. She was still in high school, so her father said Howard couldn’t marry her until she turned 18 and graduated from high school. The same week those two criteria were fulfilled, Howard married Ruth on June 19, 1955 at the First Baptist Church in Richmond, California. They had their first child David in 1956 at Oak Knoll Naval Station in Oakland, California and moved to Malone, NY after Howard was done with his service. There they had their other three children – Ricki in 1957, Pam in 1959, and Michael in 1963. Unfortunately, Ruth’s father became ill so the family moved to California to stay close to her dad. The kids grew up in San Pablo while Howard began his career at AC Transit where Ruth’s mom Bessie Hanson also worked. He started out as a driver and worked up to middle management – organizing bus routes, managing special events and fielding complaints. In 1977, Howard and Ruth moved to Fairfield with Pam and Michael while David went to college and Ricki stayed with friends to finish high school. Howard completed 33 years at AC Transit before retiring and then started his life’s calling as a Greeter and Grandpa. Ruth and Howard were always there to help their kids and grandkids. When Pam’s kids went to Vacaville Christian Academy, Howard would do Traffic Patrol in the afternoons. The kids loved him and called him Grandpa. Howard was very welcoming and gregarious by nature, and could usually be found sitting in his garage with the door open to serve as Neighborhood Watch and just chat with the folks in the neighborhood. He was a regular greeter at Fairfield Christian Reformed Church in Fairfield and New Life Church (now Sonrise-New Life) in Vacaville. Howard was usually in front in his cowboy hat, opening doors and greeting people with a big smile. He was a natural born greeter and the Texas Roadhouse folks recognized that and hired him to greet when they opened up in Fairfield. He always made people feel welcome and reflected God’s loving heart. Ruth battled cancer but unfortunately succumbed to it in May 2014. Howard was devastated but still managed to make it to church to greet and continue his neighborhood watch. Sadly, his health declined and he ended up in the hospital in late 2016. After rehab, he was able to go home and Ricki’s friend Michelle Perry and her mom Lois helped nurse Howard back to health. It wasn’t long before Howard and Lois fell in love with each other. Howard said he wanted to spend the rest of his life being Lois’ husband, so they were married at Lodi Community Church (now Vintage Church) on October 14, 2017. Together they continued to attend church either in-person or online when COVID hit in 2020. Even when Howard wasn’t well enough to sit in the garage greeting his neighbors, the neighborhood cats would still come to see him because he had the kind of soul that beckons to children and animals. Howard turned 90 in December 2023 and celebrated with a German Chocolate Cake that Lois lovingly made. Unfortunately, he fell ill a month later and passed quickly on January 24, 2024, with Lois by his side. Howard is survived by wife Lois, children David Dupuis and wife Joby, Ricki Dupuis, Pam Potts and husband Michael, Michael Dupuis and wife Amber; stepchildren Daniel Wilson and wife Jody, and Michelle Perry. He was Grandpa to Julien and wife Sophia, Daniel and wife Lauren, Christine, Richard, Alex, Onyx, Destiny, Danica, Zachary and wife Ashlyn, Ryan and Valerie; Great Grandpa to Kharma, Kali, Cooper, Madelyn, Atreyu, Snow, Kai, Alabama, Dustin, Weston, Alaya and Lily. Howard’s services will be held on May 16, 2024, internment at 12:30 pm at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery (5810 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620), followed by a 3:30 pm celebration of life at the Fairfield Christian Reformed Church (300 Marigold Dr, Fairfield, CA 94533). Howard was a member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge 4113 Eagles in Suisun City and the American Legion in Suisun City. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity, help a person in need, open a door for the person behind you, invite a friend to lunch, pick a bouquet of flowers for a loved one, start a conversation with someone you just met… Be a Howard! And know that he’s smiling and doing the same in heaven.

Tributes

Howard Dupuis

December 20, 1933 - January 24, 2024