Dr. Leonard L. Dupree

Dr. Leonard Larkin Dupree, 80, passed away on February 28, 2022, after an extended illness. He and his wife of 60 years, Jacquelyn Jennings Dupree, reside in Thomson Ga. He officially retired in 2004 as Director of Church-Minister Relations at the Georgia Baptist Convention, headquartered in Atlanta, but he continuously spent a lifetime in the ministry, ending his service as interim Pastor of Mt. Horeb Baptist, Wrens in 2020.

Leonard was born in Montezuma, Georgia on September 29, 1941. His parents were the late Joseph Howard and Evelyn Suggs Dupree of Plains, Georgia and Sumter County/Plains is where he grew up. A graduate of Plains High School in 1959, he received both his Associate in Arts Degree (1961) and a Bachelor of Arts Degree (English, 1968) from Georgia Southwestern State University. For advanced education, he attended Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth Texas, earning his Masters in Divinity in 1973 and his Doctorate in Ministry in 1976. He and Jackie, who also worked as a nurse her entire career, served the Church at large in a variety of jobs throughout South Georgia and Texas while furthering his education.

His post education ministry began in 1973 in Shreveport, LA, as the Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church. In 1979, he returned to Georgia as the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church, Thomson GA, where he served until 1992.  Relocating to Snellville, GA, he directed Church-Minister Relations for the Georgia Baptist Convention until 2004. After retirement from the Convention, he continuously served as Interim Pastor for several area churches, including a two-year term as interim at First Baptist, Thomson. In December of 2012, he was designated as Pastor Emeritus here at FBC Thomson, a designation he held until his death. Any review of his accomplishments from youth until late in life demonstrates that Leonard was honored for high achievement throughout his life in virtually everything he got involved in.

Dr. Dupree is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jackie, a brother Ronnie Dupree (Emily), Plains, GA, his son, Larkin Dupree (Dahlene), Advance, NC, his daughter, Beth Powers (Don), Thomson GA, eight grandchildren, Suzanna Dupree Sutton (Alex), Lee Dupree, Jacob Powers (Larissa), Leah Powers (Kevin Jackson), Abigail Dupree Lunsford (Caden), Mitchell Powers (Kaitlyn), Brant Dupree, and Alec Powers (Jordan), 6 great-grandchildren, Aiden Sutton, Sarahann Sutton, Lee Dupree, Austin Sutton, Lily Dupree, and Sharlotte Sutton.    

Leonard was a voracious reader until his death and an ever curious, lifelong student of Holy scriptures, theology, church history, prayer, and biblical languages, amassing a library filled with thousands of books on those subjects and more. He loved the outdoors …hunting, fishing, birdwatching, gardening, growing flowers, riding a tractor, and was the family expert on anything that had to do with nature. He was so proud that he had been raised on a farm and that experience shaped him his entire life. If you were outdoors with Leonard, you would know without fail that his wonderment at all he saw and experienced in the Creation came directly through his faith in the Lord. He was a natural servant leader who loved the Lord first, with his family a close second.

The funeral service for Dr. Dupree will be held at 3PM on Sunday, March 6, 2022, at First Baptist Church, Thomson. Dr. David Lambert will lead the service, assisted by Dr. John Bryan. Interment will follow afterwards at Savannah Valley Memorial Gardens in Thomson. Prior to the service, the family looks forward to visitation with all of Leonard’s friends at 1:15 PM, in the Church atrium. Any gifts made in his honor can be directed to the First Baptist Church “organ fund”. 

Honorary Pallbearers will be Preachers and Deacons of any church that Dr. Dupree served.

You may sign a guest book online at www.curtisfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dr. Leonard L. Dupree, please visit our floral store.