Hayward Dupree III, age 59, of Bunkie

Funeral services for Mr. Hayward Dupree III will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., at Second Saint Paul Baptist Church in Bunkie, LA, where Reverend Eldria Lavallais will officiate. A public viewing will be held at the church from 9:00 a.m. until the time of services on Saturday morning. Committal services will follow in the church cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Melancon Funeral Home of Bunkie, LA.

Mr. Dupree departed this life on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, at 10:23 a.m., at Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria, LA, at the age of 59 years old. Hayward was born on September 15, 1960 in Pineville, LA. As a young lad, he was baptized by the late Reverend Roosevelt Johnson, Jr., at the Second Saint Paul Baptist Church in Bunkie, LA. Following his high school education in Bunkie, he located to Houston, Texas and worked in the rice mill industry. Later in life, Hayward returned to his childhood home of Bunkie and was gainfully employed with Martco, Inc., Westside Habilitation Center, and Elder Wood Preserving Company.

On December 13, 1996, Hayward was united in Holy Matrimony to Louisa Patterson. To this union, no children were born. Always possessing a quiet and gentle spirit, he enjoyed providing lawn care and painting services during his spare time. He was preceded in death by his father, Hayward Dupree, Jr. and a nephew, Chadwick Ryan Dupree.

He will be greatly missed by his beloved mother, Mary Lee Coatney Dupree of Bunkie, LA; five (5) children, Chiquita Thomas of Cheneyville, LA, Haywood (Bobbie) Vital, Jeremy Vital, Brittany Dupree, and Roshelle Dupree, all of Houston, TX; one (1) brother, Reginald Dupree of Bunkie, LA; six (6) sisters, Debra Dupree of Houston, TX, Helen (William) Leary, Lorraine Dupree, Sheila Dupree, all of Bunkie, LA, Tammy Lynn Dupree of New Orleans, LA, and Tracy Dupree of Bristol, TN; six (6) grandchildren, Kameron Vital, Jalon Holloway, Kayla Vital, Kelsey Vital, Dennis Davis, and Destine Vital; a special friend, Bridget Fulton of Bunkie, LA; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.