Stella June Dupree

Auburn Township - Stella June Dupree of Auburn Township, OH, passed away on July 14, 2024, at the age of 9, following a 10-month battle with Osteosarcoma. She died at home, in the arms of her parents and with her beloved dog, Dice, by her side.

Stella was born in New York City on September 21, 2014. She attended Hudson Montessori School and was passionate about all things creative. She was full of energy and a natural-born artist and performer. Stella loved dancing, singing, rapping, drawing, painting, writing poetry, and jewelry-making. We treasure the many shining examples of her talent she left behind.

Stella was a social butterfly who always made new friends wherever she went. Although she had an endless love and curiosity for all animals, her affinity with dogs was undeniable. A huge fan of comedy, particularly stand-up, impersonations, and pranks, Stella had a quick-witted, mischievous side and loved making people laugh. She was also a natural athlete, quick to learn how to ride a bike and rapidly advanced through the class levels at her swim school. More recently, she had taken dance classes and enjoyed hip-hop the most.

Stella was so kind and caring towards her family. She loved snuggles, chit-chats, inside jokes, and hugs. She never hesitated to give a compliment, had a knack for gift-giving, and adored her little sister.

We want to acknowledge her closest friends, McKenna, Esther, and Emily, as well as the Hudson Montessori community, for their unwavering support throughout her treatment. We would also like to acknowledge the Akron Children's Oncology team and, in particular, Renée Redenshek, the child life specialist with whom Stella had an extremely close bond and who helped her through countless difficult days.

Stella is survived by her parents, John and Elisa (Brenc) Dupree; sister, Ruby; grandparents Ronald Dupree of Huntsville, AL, Stephen and Cynthia (Smith) Charles of Bainbridge Township, OH, Gerald and Tita (Reyna) Brenc of Pompano Beach, FL and Lizbeth (Nolck) Nowotny of Carrizozo, NM; aunt and uncles Jose and Victoria (Charles) Soto of Huntsville, AL, Ronald Dupree, Jr. of Bainbridge Township, OH and Joshua Brenc of Ft. Myers, FL; cousins Gabriel and Mateo Soto of Huntsville, AL; and many other aunts, uncles and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her grandfather Lionel Nowotny and great-grandparents John and Annette (Garner) Dupree, Jerome and Shirley (Miralia) Smith, William and Victoria (Brozovich) Brenc, Carlos Nolck and Frank and Hilda (Cobo) Gready.

Stella did not like it when loved ones cried over her, and she reminded us to be strong. In that spirit, we invite all who knew Stella to join us on her 10th birthday, Saturday, September 21, 2024, on the front lawn of Hudson Montessori School for her Celebration of Life, a joyous event to honor the brightest star in our sky-details to be announced soon.

Stella's presence in our lives is a neverending gift, and we will forever be grateful for the time, however short, that we were fortunate enough to spend with her. We will cherish her memory and do our best to honor her as we grieve this unthinkable loss.