Maurice Louis Dufault

Maurice Louis (Maurie) Dufault
Maurice Louis (Maurie) Dufault, 96, died peacefully at his home on November 30, 2016, surrounded by his loving family.
Maurie was born on July 20, 1920 in Gentilly, Minnesota to Adolph and Eugenie Menard Dufault and was the youngest of eight children. He moved with his family to Yakima in 1925, where he began his education and subsequently graduated from Marquette High School in 1939.
During Maurie's teenage years, he developed an interest in boxing and began sparring at the Yakima YMCA. This interest continued while in the service and on April 1, 1942, Maurie, who had been nicknamed by the media as "Duke Dufault", won the Featherweight Golden Gloves Award in Amarillo, Texas.
Maurie enlisted with the U.S. Air Force in 1942 and became a flight engineer with the 351st Bomb Squadron, which was stationed in England during World War II, and participated in the France Campaign, Germany Campaign and Normandy Campaign. He was called back to active duty again in 1951 for the Korean War as a flight engineer for the 380th Bomb Squadron, which was based at Smoky Hills Air Force Base in Kansas.
During leave from the service during World War II, Maurie's sister introduced him to his future bride, Florence Rochel. They were married on November 20, 1948. After being honorably discharged, Maurie returned to Yakima and began his 36 year career with Yakima Federal Savings and Loan Association, which took him from Yakima to Richland as Branch Manager, and in 1968 to Ellensburg where he retired in 1984.
Maurie enjoyed spending time with his family and was always there to lend a helping hand be it painting, gathering firewood, building fences or constructing retaining walls. Maurie was also a long time member of the Ellensburg Rodeo Posse and enjoyed riding his horse in the mountains with family and friends. Maurie's love of all things that could fly turned to the smaller variety: radio controlled airplanes. He was an avid builder and flyer of both water and land based model aircraft and was instrumental in formation of the Ellensburg area radio controlled flying club.
Maurie is survived by his wife, Florence, and his children: Theresa Dufault, Maurine Fritch, Robert Dufault, Michelle Dufault, Janette Dufault, Brian Dufault and James Dufault, as well as nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, David Dufault, and all seven of his siblings.
Rosary services will be held at 7:00 pm Friday, December 9th at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Ellensburg. Memorial services will be held Saturday, December 10th at 11:00 am at St. Andrews Catholic Church, which will be followed by a reception. Private inurnment will be held at the Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Hospice Friends of Ellensburg in care of Brookside Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.brooksidefhc.com.