Notes for Andrew Leonard DUPREL

Notes for Andrew Leonard DUPREL

BORN: Thur MARRIED: Monday DIED: Sun. Age at death 74 years 3 months 15 days.
SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT NUMBER: 529 10 9337 issued in the state of Utah.

Andrew the second son and fifth child of Andre Duprel and Anna Gilson was born in Volunteer, South Dakota in the year 1909. He was called Leonard by his parents, and continued to use that name through out his life. When he was born his parents named him Andrew Leonard Duprel after his father. But having two Andrews in the same house can cause a few misunderstandings, so it was decided call him by his middle name of Leonard, this was done early in Leonard life. According to Andre Homestead Patent papers dated 1910, he listed the names of his children as Katie, Florence, Marie, John and Leonard. And again on his Naturalization papers he list his childrens names and ages, Katie age 7 years, Florence age 6 years, John age 4 years, Marie age 2 years, and Leonard age 6 months.As a child Leonard spoke his parents language of Letzebuerger as did his older brother and sisters. He attended the Meyer School and worked for his father on his father's ranch, near Sturgis South Dakota later going into partnership with his father and two brothers. Leonard married Barbara Schaff of Bear Butte Valley. A son Carroll was born in 1937, while still on the home ranch. In Jan 1938 the ranching partnership was disolved, so they left for Nevada. Leonard worked at the Owyee Copper Mine until it closed. They then moved to Fruitland Idaho, where Leonard worked at a near by mine. A daughter Anna May was born in 1938 in Caldwell Idaho. In November 1938 they moved back to Nevada, Leonard worked at the Anda Conder Van Winkle Mine, and at the Ruth mine. He mined for the Consolidated copper miners cooperation of Kimberly, Nevada. In the fall of 1940 they moved to Vallejo, California, where he went to work at Mare Island as a carpenter. He helped build Hunters Point near San Francisco California. During World War II Leonard worked at Kaiser Ship Yard number III first as a carpenter, then as a supervisor of the Shipfitters assembly plant. In 1944 they moved to Hartford Washington where Leonard did defense work at the Atomic Plant. returning to El Cerrito, California in November 1944, where Leonard went back to his former position at the Kaiser Ship Yard. On December 6, Richard was born in Albany California. In June 1945 they bought an 11 unit motel in Ben Lomond California. In 1946 they traded it for a Resort Ranch near Boulder Creek California. They later subdivided it, after they had built two houses on it. At the same time Leonard worked for Kai Carlson, a building contractor, doing both rough and finish work. In 1958 they sold their Boulder Creek ranch and purchased the Happy Landing Court in Ben Lonond, California. They operated it until 1960. After the death of Kai Carlson, Leonard went to work at the Lockheed Test Base, Santa Cruz, California, in May 1958. Leonard is still employed there as a Carpenter Leadman. In January, 1975, Leonard will retire. Leonard and Barbara are presently living in Santa Cruz, California.

Written by Barbara Schaff Duprel, Santa Cruz California (1973)

Add from the "Tourist Court Journal's" dated September 1946

RESORT OR DUDE RANCH 95 Acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Orchard, garden, open land, redwoods. One-half mile creek and highway frontage, good fishing and hunting. Dining room to seat 50, ten sleeping rooms above. Five cabins. Beer and wine licenses. Three-bedroom home, large barn. $42,000. Will sell all or part. Box 525, Boulder Creek, California. (this is the Resort Ranch that Leonard and Barbara traded the Motel in Ben Lomond for in 1946)

Uncle Walter said, that dad use to be a professional boxer, and that he boxed for a couple of years. I believe aunt Josephine (Gilson) said that dad boxed in the eastern S.D. and Maybe Wi, MN and IA area. This all took place before 1936. Uncle Walt said, dad was very very good. I asked if he new why he stopped, he said because his father (Andre Duprel) did not approve. Uncle Walt also mentioned that they use to go to town dances, the girls use to get confused on who was who because they looked so much alike. He said they had a good time fooling them.

Dad retired in 1975, Two of his favorite actives were hunting and fishing. Dad, Mom and my brother Carroll and Carroll sons went on hunting trips together. Both dad and Carroll had Chevrolet Blazers 4X4's. For sleeping they towed a 18 foot travel, later dad replaced it with a Apache pop up trailer, he said the Apachce towed better & was easier to handle on the mountain/side roads. Carroll's sons Douglas, Leonard, and Timothy slept in a tent when they went on these hunting trips. Mom did most of the cooking sometimes Yanna, Carroll's wife was able to come along and could help. Besides fishing dad enjoyed playing cards and an occasional trip to Reno or Las Vegas with mom.

My father was an excellent carpenter, he built two houses from the ground up and rebuilt / remodeled several others. Dad was more than proficient in plumbing, electrical, and masonary work. he was also a very fine finish carpenter, building all of his own kitchen cabinets and various other pices of furniture. It was not unusual to find dad working on the television, fixing the car, or putting a new roof on the house. If something was broke dad fixed it, if you needed something built he built it. Even after Dad retired he would still get up early in the morning. After breakfast you would find working on something in the garage or outside.

I remember as a child growing up, dreading the comming of the weekend, not because Dad would be home, but because now I would have to work on what ever new building / repair project that he was going to do. Now that I look back at those times, I am very greatfull for them, and especially for all that he taught me. Dad was able to work and do the things he liked until the last month of his life. He passed away at Santa Teresa Hospital in San Jose California (1984)

Written by Richard J. Duprel, Lacey, Washington (1993)