Clarence R. Duprey Jr., 73, of 172 Ampersand Ave., Saranac Lake, died Sunday, May 25, 2014, at Adirondack Medical Center.

Born in Saranac Lake on July 15, 1940, he was the son of Clarence Duprey Sr, and Mary (D'Onofrio) Duprey. Clarence married Margaret "Dee Dee" K. Morrow on June 17, 1961, at St Bernard's Church in Saranac Lake.

Clarence had been employed for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for more than 45 years. He started working for NYSDEC at the age of 17 and was a conservation operations supervisor 2. After many years in the state campground system, Clarence became the DEC-Department of Corrections liaison for conservation-related work crews until the time of his retirement in 2002.

Clarence had also worked for the DEC as a bobsled driver, creating and grooming the bob run in Lake Placid for Olympic hopefuls, as well as giving rides to visitors to the track. On more than one occasion, Clarence and his team unofficially broke world time records while testing the run.

Clarence was a member and trustee of the Saranac Lake Elks Club BPOE 1508. He also was a member of the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department and SLVFD Fire Police. Clarence was an election inspector for the village of Saranac Lake, Saranac Lake Central School District, Franklin County and the town of Harrietstown. He also sat on the town of Harrietstown Zoning Board of Appeals. Both were services to the community which he truly loved.

He is survived by his wife, Dee Dee; one son, Timothy Duprey and wife Amy of Rochester; three daughters: Timothy's twin sister Tammy Wright and husband Allan of Saranac Lake, Tracy Owens and husband Jonathan of Whitesboro, and Tina McCabe and husband Douglas of Saranac Lake; 11 grandchildren: Nicole, David and Andrew Wright, Katherine (Duprey) McEwen and husband Ryan, and Michael Duprey, Matthew Owens and wife Shasta, Kaitlyn and Kristen Owens, Michael, Jonathan and Nicholas McCabe; two great-granddaughters: Rylee Zelinski and Carter McEwen; five brothers: Anthony Duprey Sr. and wife Mary Lynne of Saranac Lake, Ronald Duprey of Phoenix, New York, Oliver Duprey and wife Marianne of Westport, Gary Duprey and wife Phyllis of Wilmington and Dennis Duprey and wife Kelly of Saranac Lake; and one sister, Sally Weaver of Jackson, New Jersey.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother.

Calling hours will take place from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 29 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. An Elks prayer service will take place at 7:45 p.m. Thursday evening, immediately followed by a firemen's prayer service, bell ceremony and last call. A Mass of Christian burial will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, May 30 at St. Bernard's Church with the Rev. Mark Reilly officiating. Burial will follow at St. Bernard's Cemetery in Saranac Lake.

Friends wishing to remember Clarence R. Duprey Jr. may make memorial contributions to Saranac Lake Elks Club BPOE 1508, the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department or to the Saranac Lake Volunteer Rescue Squad in care of the funeral home.

Family and friends can also share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.com.