Walter Eugene Dupea, 76

Walter Eugene Dupea, 76, "went to be with the Lord" on July 9, 2005, in Bigfork. The oldest son of Tobe Wiley and Mabel Dora (Drube) Dupea of White Sulphur Springs, he was born in Carter on April 9, 1929.

Walter lived on ranches building different things until his late teens. At the age of 18, he set out on his own and started building houses. He soon found construction work in Iowa and had a construction business in Ames for 20 years. Walt was a master woodworker. Walt enjoyed building just about anything for anybody. Beside the numerous homes that were constructed, he also helped start at least 10 pizza businesses.

Walter married Mary Jo Ratcliff in 1956, and they had four children together. In 1962, they divorced, and he married Floella Gardner. The family was soon blessed with an adopted daughter.

In the early 1980s, he retired from the construction business and moved back to Montana. However, Walt never stopped building and helping others. He always had someone's home he was building on.

During the last 10 years, Walt battled with physical and mental illness, which made his life a struggle, but through it all he never lost his faith and focus on the Lord. Walt was a faithful Christian, member of the Gideons and member of the Bible Presbyterian Church.

Walt was an accomplished pilot. He flew his family all around the country in his Moony Ranger. Walt will always be remembered as a generous and loving person. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and family.

Walt was preceded in death by his parents; son, Walter Edward; brother, Ralph Dupea; and sister, Ruth Meier.

He is survived by his children, Rex Dupea of Billings, Cheryl Dupea of Kalispell, Monte Dupea of Bigfork and Angela Dupea Fisher of Kalispell; brothers, George Dupea of Billings and Robert Dupea of White Sulphur Springs; sisters, Georgia Delaney of Grass Range, Irene Troxel of Minot, N.D., Dorothy Kincaid of Bozeman, and Marie "Mimi" Lithun of Fessenden, N.D. He is also survived by his grandchildren Hannah, Nathan, Bethany, Jonathan, Daniel Dupea and Courtney Fisher.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m., Wednesday, July 13, at Twichel Funeral Home in White Sulphur Springs with interment following in Mayn Cemetery.

A memorial service will be held in Kalispell at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 14, at the Bible Presbyterian Church, Fifth Avenue West and Fourth Street.

Twichel Funeral Home assisted the family with the services.