Ralph A. Duprey

Ralph Duprey lived all but one of his 98 years in Long Beach. He grew up in the Depression, experienced the aftermath of the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, and went to war, not because he wanted to but because his country needed him. He came home and, as so many others, fell in love and married, and together he and his Mary Lee raised two girls and a boy. Along the way he worked hard, and helped family in need. There was joy, and there was difficulty. He lost his love too early in life, when she was sixty, but was able to enjoy his grandchildren, and then great-grandchildren. He had health challenges but was still strong in body and will-to-live when he celebrated his 98th birthday at the end of March. He passed away three weeks later; but it took a world-wide pandemic to defeat him.

Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1922, Ralph was the sixth of seven children. His parents, Thomas and Amanda (Lepire) Duprey, were from North Dakota, farming there and in Canada, where Tom eventually opened an auto repair shop. When Ralph was just over a year old, a fire destroyed the shop, and the family decided to move west, and leave the cold weather behind. During the trip, Ralph’s oldest sister, Leona, had charge of him. Ten people (Tom, Amanda, six children and Amanda’s parents) packed into one “touring car,” navigating mostly dirt roads for three weeks and camping along the way, headed to California. There they settled in Long Beach.

During the Depression, when he was 10, Ralph’s family moved to a small home in a tiny street called Bailey Way. There he met many new friends, including lifelong friend Robert Brown. In 1941, the two of them graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic High School.

When the country was swept up in World War II, Ralph joined the Coast Guard and served as a motor machinist mate on an LST. The war took him, among other places, to Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and damaged his hearing, but he rarely mentioned it. Only when he met someone from the Philippines—then his face lit up, and he enjoyed talking about the towns he had seen there.

When the war was over, friends introduced Ralph to Mary Lee Smith, a lively young woman with a beautiful voice and talent for the piano. They married in 1948. He became a union plumber and helped build the new community of Lakewood, and Long Beach State College. They raised three children, Arlene, Mark and Karen.

Ralph had an interest in real estate, and buying and selling houses. He loved chocolate bars and ice cream, western movies and television shows, dancing, swimming in a backyard pool and watching his family grow. There was an occasional vacation, Lake Tahoe and the northern California coast. A cat named Mel and a dog named Pippin. The kids grew up and he retired.

Mary Lee passed away in 1987, and Ralph missed her very much. He carried on for many years. Now, they are together again.

Ralph is survived by his youngest sister Irene, children Arlene, Mark and Karen (Paul), eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.  In his memory, enjoy a glazed donut and a cup of coffee.

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401