Minnie Sue Dupree

Minnie Sue Dupree of Gainesville died Wednesday, June 14, following a valiant 15-month battle with cancer. She turned 75 Jan. 27th, happy that she lived to celebrate another birthday with her family.  

Visitation will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at Lakewood Baptist Church of Gainesville, with the service to follow at 4. Dr. Tyler Smiley, Dr. Tom Smiley and Dr. Craig Dale will officiate, and burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.   

Sue was born in Dekalb County, AL, to Wydene Dukes, Rainsville, AL, who survives, and the late Milford Dukes. She attended Plainview High School in Rainsville, AL, where she was a cheerleader and where she met her future husband, Bill Dupree, the love of her life. Bill died in 2011. Thursday, June 15, would have been their 55th wedding anniversary.        

Sue always observed the anniversary of her husband’s death by having dinner with her family at Olive Garden Restaurant, where Bill helped oversee planning and construction as assistant to the president of America’s Home Place.

Sue was a natural-born leader who spent more than 20 years in teaching and childcare. She took charge of every situation she faced, and that included her fight against cancer. She never gave up hope that she would pull through.              

She was Grammy to her three grandsons and seldom missed one of their ballgames. She also spent plenty of time cheering on her Atlanta Braves and the Crimson Tide.  She taught arts and crafts at Randy & Friends and knitted dolls, gnomes and other items to benefit the prison ministry at Lakewood Baptist Church, where she was a member.    

After her cancer was diagnosed, she regularly gave Sunday reports on how many get-well cards she had received from members of her Adam and Eve Sunday school class at Lakewood.

The family wishes to thank all of the doctors, nurses, and hospice staff at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.                 

Besides her mother, she is survived by a brother, Jerry Dukes, Rainsville, AL; two daughters, Beth Dupree and Tara Dupree Miller; her grandsons, Benson, Mattox and Cohen Miller; a son-in-law, Brandon Miller, all of Gainesville; and two special friends who are more like family, Charles Izell, Summerville, and Lela Grace Mize, Gainesville.  She is preceded in death by her father Milford Dukes, husband Bill Dupree and daughter Emily Dupree.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Lakewood Baptist Church, Joy Ministry, and Kids Cove Weekday.      

Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel 989 Riverside Drive Gainesville, Georgia is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com