James Dewitt Dupins

(December 8, 1933 – February 19, 2017)

James Dewitt Dupins was born on December 8, 1933 in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Clifton and Mabel Dupins. His father was a railroad worker and his mother was a homemaker. James grew up in Little Rock as the second youngest of seven children; his older half-sister lived in Chicago. Upon graduating from Jones High School in 1952, he moved to Santa Monica to enlist in the Army. He was stationed at Fort Ord in Northern California and deployed to Alaska during the Korean War. He was discharged in 1962 with a Medal for Good Conduct. 

James met Vivian Fears of Kokomo, Indiana at a party in Los Angeles (they were introduced by her cousin), and they married in October 1961. His son, James Anthony Dupins, was born in April 1963; his daughter, Catherine Elaine Dupins, was born in November 1966.

He attended Santa Monica College, where he studied engineering. Upon completing his education, James worked for a medical facility making braces for polio patients. After polio was cured, he assumed an administrative position at Kaiser Hospital. In 1966, he began his career at McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach. There he designed and fabricated parts for airplanes, including the C-17 and DC-9 and flew with pilots to test the planes. James had a distinguished career at McDonnell Douglas, receiving numerous awards and certificates in recognition of his contributions. For his active participation in the United Aerospace Workers union, he was awarded an Honorary Life Membership. James retired in December 1995 after nearly 30 years of service. 

Known to his siblings as “J.D.” and to friends as “Jim,” he enjoyed marlin fishing in Hawaii and traveling. He also enjoyed taking his children to Disneyland, Sea World, and Magic Mountain, and made frequent road trips to visit family in Northern California. James had a quiet, private side, along with possessing a natural wit. He also was very disciplined and organized, down to lining up his sock drawer.

James resided in Carson, California for 30 years. He made his transition on February 19, 2017. James is survived by his wife Vivian, son James and daughter Catherine, (all of Los Angeles), brother Carl Alvin Dupins (of Antelope, California), and several nieces and nephews.