AUBURN – Bruce Joseph Karl Dupal, 66, of Durham, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, Dec. 7, in the woods doing what he loved best, hunting.

He was born in Lewiston on Oct. 25, 1939, a son of Joseph and Nelda (Stanmore) Dupal. He grew up in Lisbon Falls and graduated from Lisbon High School, Class of 1958.

After high school, Bruce met and married his best friend, Doris Russell, on Aug. 12, 1961. He then went to Durham with his wife, and there they raised their family.

As a young man, Bruce worked for Griffin Dairy Farm until 1962, then worked from 1962 to 1967 for Oakhurst Dairy, and finally went to work for UPS from 1967 to 1998, where he retired after 30 years as a package driver. He had also worked as a cook and a guide at the Driftwood Lodge since March 2004.

He was very involved with various communities and projects, including many safety master workshops on hunter safety, driving safety, and occupational health and safety hazards. He was on the safety committee at UPS for many years. Bruce was a master instructor and coordinator for hunter, trapping, bow-and-arrow, boat and ATV safety, and for first aid.

He helped out as an attendant and as a driver with first aid for rescue for the state police in Augusta and in Lisbon, where he also served as rescue chief for many years. He also helped to train some of the men.

Bruce helped start the ambulance service for Lisbon and Durham. He was an instructor for more than 22 years with the safety program in all six divisions, a master instructor for Androscoggin County for more than 10 years, an instructor for hunter safety for more than 26 years, and a range safety officer.

He was also a master Maine guide, a member of the Masonic Lodge in Lisbon Falls, a member of the NRA, the SAM, the MBA, and the ADC, the Triad Group and the hunting lodge in northern Maine. He was a part of the daily cribbage club at McDonalds and then to MTM.

Bruce was very much a people person and an outdoorsman. His greatest joys in life were his family, hunting and fishing, cooking and teaching and working with his hunter safety courses. He especially liked teaching the younger children.

He is survived by his loving wife, Doris (Russell) Dupal of Durham; two daughters, Terry Allen and husband, Stanley, of Durham, and Tracy Reed and husband, Paul Jr., of Durham; one son, Russell Dupal and wife, Sheila (Beane) Dupal, of Durham; four grandchildren, Chelsea and Tyler Dupal, and Spencer and Joseph Reed; a brother, John Dupal and wife, Josephine, of Lisbon Falls; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, John and Barbara (Russell) Weldon of Jacksonville, Fla.; nieces, Stephanie Dupal of Lisbon, and Sandra Radomski and husband, John, of Jacksonville, Fla.; two nephews, Michael Weldon and wife, Elaine (Faherty) Weldon, of Jacksonville, Fla., and Stephen Weldon and wife, Corena (Albert) Weldon, of Auburn; two aunts, Josephine Pruell of Brunswick, and Elizabeth “Betty” Charron and husband, Wilfred Charron, of Barrington, R.I.; and many cousins, great nieces and nephews, and friends.

He was predeceased by his parents; his parents-in-law, Fred and Mabel Russell; an uncle and aunt, Michael and Rose Dupal; and uncle, John Pruell.

Bruce was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved him.