Frederick “Fred” Dupy, 69, of Round Rock, Texas, died May 15. Dupy was the president of American Party Rental in Austin, Texas. All who knew him share the same sentiment: He had a huge heart and never let an obstacle get in the way of his fervent desire to help those in the rental industry.
“The man I remember is one who loved God, loved his wife and had a passion for the rental industry,” says Bryce Puckett, general manager of rentals, Kirby-Smith Machinery, Fort Worth, Texas, who serves as American Rental Association (ARA) Region Four director. “He encouraged others to succeed, always speaking with you — not to you — in a kind and fatherly way. His enduring passion for helping others in the industry continued on. He brightened up each time he would talk about the opportunity to help out.”
A devoted University of Oklahoma Sooners fan, Dupy established his rental career in Austin with his brother, William “Bill” Dupy. They started in equipment rental with American Rental Service and then added event rental, establishing American Party Rental. Later, they sold off their equipment rental business and focused entirely on the event segment.
From the beginning, Dupy’s generosity and dedication to service shined through. His volunteer efforts started early and continued throughout his life. He served at the local, state and national levels, including:
- Heart of Texas Rental Association, from 1995-2006, serving as president in 1996-2000 and then again in 2006.
- The Texas Rental Association, from 1997-2020, serving as president in both 2000 and 2018.
- ARA Volunteer Recognition Awards Committee, from 2019-2020.
- Field Services Ad Hoc Committee and chair of Business Development, from 2000-2001.
- General Tool & Equipment Shared Interest Group, from 2005-2006.
- ARA Foundation Board of Trustees, from 2018-present, serving as chair in 2020.
He and his wife, Monica, firmly believed in the power of education. That is why they so generously donated to the ARA Foundation, particularly for the Scholarship Program.
His service and hard work were recognized numerous times. He received the President’s Image Award in 2003, the Region Four Person of the Year Award in 2004 and 2012, and ARA’s Distinguished Service 
Award in 2019. The couple also was recognized with the ARA Foundation’s highest honors for their philanthropic efforts. They received the 1976 Club Award six times and the James Keenan Award eight times since 2012.
When presented with the award this past year, Dupy commented that it was something they felt blessed to be able to do.
“It is something that we do out of our hearts. It stems from the blessings that we have been given by the association. To me the association is the people. Our giving is always about the people. Our gifts are really our thank you to our industry that has supported our family for 40 years,” he said in an article that appeared in ARA’s Winter 2022 In Your Region newsletter.
Dupy is survived by his wife, Monica; brother, William “Bill” (Michelle) Dupy; sister, Marilynn (Wade) Voise; stepson, Mark Jones and his son, Michael; stepdaughter, Jennifer Durst; nephews, Russell (Reece) Voise, Brandon Dupy, Cameron Dupy and Jonathan (Kylie) Dupy; and niece, Lauren (Zachary) Colorio.