Edward C. Dupont Jr.

1950 - 2023

Edward C. Dupont, Jr.

Durham, NH - Edward C. Dupont, Jr., 72, passed away with his family by his side on February 16, 2023 in Dover after a long journey with Alzheimer's disease.

Ed was born on March 10, 1950, in Dover, NH, the son of Edward C. and Madeleine (Colell) Dupont. He attended St. Mary's in Rochester and St. Thomas Aquinas ('68) in Dover before a brief stint at the University of New Hampshire. Ed was a lifelong learner and valued education but wasn't always the best student. He was incredibly proud to receive an honorary degree from UNH in 2017 and become a college graduate.

Ed met the love of his life, Andrea (Castonguay) of East Rochester, NH and they went on to marry in the fall of 1979. From then on, Andrea was a consistent, supportive, and grounding force in Ed's life. Together they raised their two girls, Lindsey and Ashley, in Rochester and Durham. Nothing was more important to Ed than "the girls". He always encouraged and supported their dreams and endeavors. Sometimes that included driving the horse trailer to shows in the middle of the night. Sometimes that included flying all over the country for field hockey tournaments. Ed was there for every milestone and event, big and small.

Ed ran multiple successful businesses, including Strafford Fuels and the Dupont Group. He was a five-term New Hampshire state senator and State Senate President. During his time in the Senate, he co- chaired a joint Senate and House committee that developed the first comprehensive reorganization of state government in more than 20 years and established and chaired the first standing legislative committee on economic development in NH history. Throughout Ed's career, Business NH Magazine named him one of the most influential people in NH nine times. Ed was also a member of the USNH Board of Trustees for ten years and chair of the Board for four years. He was honored to receive the New England Board of Higher Education's David C. Knapp Award for Trusteeship in 2014. We could compile a book of the public policy and legislative initiatives Ed was responsible for, his accomplishments, accolades, and the causes he was passionate about. He was known for his honesty, his integrity and his attention to details, and facts. Ultimately, Ed was a true public servant who wanted the best for the State of New Hampshire.

Ed loved cars, boats, and anything with an engine. He was an instrument rated pilot and found great joy flying his Bonanza out of SkyHaven in Rochester. Ed loved fast cars and auto racing; a highlight for him was owning a race car with his brother David. He was always up for a drive or to "take a ride", especially if it involved stopping to eat somewhere or getting ice cream. If you asked Ed, he was never lost, however he didn't always find the intended destination. A particularly infamous family trip included a caravan driving around Orlando, FL for hours at night.

Ed enjoyed a variety of outdoor activities, taking advantage of the NH lakes, mountains, and ocean. He was an accomplished water skier and continued to compete into his 60s. On the slalom course, no one was as smooth as Ed. He mastered most things on the water, including trick skiing, wakeboarding (begrudgingly), and ski jumping. The only thing that evaded him was barefoot waterskiing. Ed loved his time on the lake, spending summers over the last 34 years on Merrymeeting Lake in New Durham. It was where he was most relaxed, and he enjoyed hosting friends and family. If you were lucky, you might even see him dressed "casually", with his top button undone or shirt untucked. Ed was also an early adopter of surfing in New England; in the mid '60s he often hitchhiked to York, ME to get waves. He held on to his original Dewey Weber surfboard and roof racks. Unfortunately, he never got around to buying the woody wagon he always wanted to display them on.

When it came to winter, you could frequently find Ed out on the slopes. He started out on skis and switched to a snowboard in the '90s. He particularly enjoyed his weekends at Loon Mountain with friends and family. Ed had an extensive snowboard collection, and he truly loved his Burton Custom with step-in bindings. Somehow, a typical ski adventure with Ed could involve multiple stops. On one occasion, he drove the group three hours to Sunday River only to find a long line on the access road, he then drove an hour to Attitash, only to take a few runs, go out to eat, and then go home. It was also not uncommon for Ed to declare the group was flying in his plane to Sunday River or Sugarloaf to ski for the day.

Ed was a generous, thoughtful, and loving soul. He always made time for you if you needed it and was always willing to help. These are the things that we will miss most about him. Ed leaves behind his beloved family including his wife of 43 years, Andrea of Durham; two daughters Lindsey and her husband David Garneau of Rye, and Ashley of Durham; his brother David Dupont and his wife Carolyn of Dover; two sisters Janice Wood of Dover and Kathie Routhier and her husband Richard of Dover; sister and brother-in-law Karen and Roger Paquette of Milton Mills; his nephews, Allan (Rachael) Wood, James (Grace) Routhier, Peter (Lauren) Routhier, Sam (Allie) Routhier, Chris (Evelyn) Dupont, Michael (Sarah) Dupont, Ryan (Maddie) Dupont, and Brett (Christina) Paquette. His niece Jill (Jeff) Hilfiker and many great nieces and nephews. Ed was particularly proud of his Lebanese and French-Canadian heritage and enjoyed close relationships with his many Colell and Dupont cousins whom he also leaves behind. Ed is predeceased by his parents, his in laws Louise and Norman Castonguay, his nephew Marc Paquette and many aunts and uncles.

Ed's family would like to thank the staff at Bellamy Fields in Dover for taking such good care of Ed in his final year. They would also like to thank Cornerstone VNA & Hospice, Dr. and Mrs. Jeff and Barbara Russell, Dr. William Hassett, and Dr. Raymond Kelleher for their care and compassion over the years.

It was always an adventure with Ed, and we are going to miss him. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would ask that you consider a donation to the Dupont Family Scholarship at the University of New Hampshire Foundation, the Alzheimer's Association, or to your local animal rescue.

Please visit www.taskerfuneralservice.com to sign the online guestbook.