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Philip M. ‘Brown Bear’ Duprey

Philip M. “Brown Bear” Duprey, 71, of 198 Neil St., Saranac Lake, passed away at home on Friday, Feb. 27, 2015, under the loving care of family and High Peaks Hospice after a long, courageous battle with colon cancer.

He was born Feb. 6, 1944, in Lake Placid, the son of Philip and Mae (Strack) Duprey of Ray Brook.

An outstanding high school athlete, he attended Saranac Lake High School, excelling in football, baseball, basketball, track and hockey, being awarded many red varsity letters and awarded the Lions Club Trophy as outstanding football player of the year.

In 1991, he was inducted into the SLHS Athletic Hall of Fame.

On July 17, 1970, he was married to Margaret (Madge) Oehmke in Saranac Lake, by Paul Dupree.

Mr. Duprey was a heavy equipment operator for the Village of Saranac Lake, where he retired after 27 years of service.

Phil was a competitive bobsled brakeman, being named to three Winter Olympic teams: 1968 in Grenoble, France, 1972 in Sapporo, Japan, and 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria. He was also a five-time World Team bobsledder: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1975. He won the two-man bobsled Deterding Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in 1967, and he was a member of the winning four-man sled at the 1967 North American Championships. He volunteered during the 1980 Winter Olympics and was a member of the Lake Placid Track Officials Association for multiple World Championships and World Cup races. He was a consultant to NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine, who founded the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project Inc. in 1992.

On Dec. 13, 2014, he was inducted into the USA Bobsled Hall of Fame. His inductions into his high school and the bobsled hall of fame gave him a great deal of honor.

He played softball for many years in the Black Fly league, as well as umpired for the league many years after. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and outdoorsman. He loved the New York Yankees, New York Giants and NASCAR races. In 2010, he was honored to be in the winning circle with his good friend Boris Said when he won the nationwide NASCAR race in Montreal, Canada.

He was a member of St. Bernard’s parish, the Saranac Lake No. 457 Moose lodge, BPOE No. 1508 Elks Lodge, and the Saranac Lake Sons of the American Legion.

Survivors include his loving wife Madge, of 44 years; four sisters: Helen Turmel of Saranac Lake, Dale Prividera of Albany, Susan (Bill) Thompson of North Port, Florida, and Mary Duprey of Slingerlands; and one brother, Stephen Duprey of Saranac Lake; sisters-in-law: Catherine “Kitty” Cullen and companion Jim Harding of Clermont, Fla., Grace (Bruce) Kent of Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, Eileen (Charles) McMillen of East Greenville, Pennsylvania, and Mya Duprey of Lake Clear; his father-in-law Francis Oehmke of Tupper Lake; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Phil was predeceased by his parents; his only child, Philip M. Duprey Jr.; his brother Charles Duprey; a nephew, Michael Turmel; and his beloved Doberman pinscher, Bridget.

Calling hours will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3 at the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. A Mass of Christian burial will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 4 at St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake with the Rev. Patrick Ratigan officiating. Burial will take place in the spring at St. Bernard’s Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Phil’s memory may be made to the oncology unit at Adirondack Health or to High Peaks Hospice. Phil and his family are very grateful for the wonderful care he received at Adirondack Health and High Peaks Hospice, and from Dr. Adam Abodeely and staff.

Family and friends are invited to share their memories and sign the online guestbook at fortunekeoughfuneralhome.