Donna Faye Dupuis

Donna Dupuis joined her family in heaven on the morning of December 24, 2020. She passed away peacefully at her home in Melrose surrounded by loved ones and their little dog, Chubby. Donna was born June 20, 1950 to Ralph and Rebecca (Winstead) Jones and spent the first three years of her life on the family homestead in the beautiful Centennial Valley. She was the eldest of their three daughters. The family moved to Melrose in 1953 and from that time forward Melrose would always be home. Donna received her early education from Melrose Elementary School; graduating from Beaverhead County High School in 1968, she went on to attend Western Montana College in Dillon. At sixteen she began dating her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Russel Dupuis. The two grew up less than two miles apart and would spend the rest of her life side by side. Their bond was so strong even a war couldn’t keep them apart. While separated by the conflict in Vietnam, Donna wrote letters to her sweetheart every day. After he returned home from war, they married on May 25, 1970. The couple was blessed with three children. In 1971 she began her career, part time, at the Pfizer talc mill in Dillon. She would eventually become a full time employee, retiring after thirty-two years. During her time there, she met several colleagues of whom she counted among her good friends. She retired in 2003 and devoted the next chapter of her life to family; helping to care for aging relatives and spoiling her grandsons. Donna always loved an adventure, whether it be a family vacation, a weekend road trip, a drive through the mountains, or a trip to town with her sister. She especially loved her many visits to the beaches of the Oregon coast, collecting as many family members as she could to join her, and the flying road trips out of state to attend the birth of each of her grandchildren. After her children were grown, she never shied away from helping them move and set up house no matter how many states away from home. Leaving a plethora of fond memories and worn out vehicles in her wake, the adventures are too numerous to recount. Donna cherished family gatherings large and small, playing cards with her Dad and mornings with a newspaper and a cup of coffee with her Mom. She enjoyed knitting with her friend, Gladys Bayles, taking walks with her friend, Nancy Keene, attending Tech’s annual Christmas Bazaar, the Weed Wackers’ Ball, collecting crystals, stained glass and solving word puzzles. Donna grew up attending the Church of the Big Hole in Melrose and more recently enjoyed weekly bible study with her niece, Julie Boksich, and the ladies of the Church. Donna will always be remembered by those who knew her well for her compassion, generosity, and witty sense of humor. Though her illness was difficult at times she never complained and still maintained the mischievous twinkle in her eye and a chuckle at a good joke. She was preceded in death by her father, Ralph Jones Sr.; mother, Rebecca Jones; brother and sister-in-law, Ralph Jr. and Terri Jones; sister, Helen Prosenick; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Edward and Fayle Dupuis; and nephew, Jerrid Burk. She is survived by her husband of fifty years Russel Dupuis; daughter, Rafael (David) Heggem; daughter, Courtney Dupuis; son, David (Jennifer) Dupuis; sisters, Charlotte (Jerry) Burk; Linda (Kenny) Glaus; Beverly (Delmar) Rowe; brothers, Leland Jones; and George (Faye) Jones; brother-in-law, Joe Prosenick; and six grandsons: Clayton, Connor, Ethan, & Quinlan Heggem and Garrett & Wyatt Dupuis. Donna is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews. During a lengthy battle with a debilitating illness that robbed her of mobility, Donna was able to continue living at home with her husband Russel as her caregiver. The family wishes to give a special thank you to Virginia Willis and Mike Bolton of Frontier Hospice as well as Amanda Newbreast of 406 Quality Home Care. Due to Covid-19 restrictions a celebration of life will be held at a later date in Melrose. Cremation has taken place and her six grandsons will serve as honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made toward a stained glass feature to be dedicated in Donna’s name at the Church of the Big Hole in Melrose.

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Donna Faye Dupuis

June 20, 1950 - December 24, 2020