Longtime Lake Zurich public works employee retires

It's not often that someone can say the place they work feels like home.

Robert Duprey is one of the lucky few.

The village's longtime assistant director of public works moved to Lake Zurich at age 6. Duprey recalls when a tornado destroyed much of the town at 5:03 p.m. April 21, 1967, the year he graduated high school. And he can list many milestones for his family, such as watching his sons, Don and Robert Jr., graduate from that same high school, and for the village, such as watching the growth along Rand Road.

After nearly 40 years on the village payroll, Duprey said he accomplished his goals and did not see another large task to undertake. He retired in December.

While he is modest, Duprey is proud he played a part in Lake Zurich's growth. He said he was fortunate to work where his wife, Stephanie, was born, his boys were raised, his friends live and where he still lives today.

“I always wanted to do the best I possibly could. To me, it was very rewarding to be able to work for them and move forward,” he said.

Duprey began his career with the village as a general laborer in September 1971, the same year he joined the volunteer fire department.

“At that time, we didn't have a full-time mechanic. You worked on the trucks. You installed water meters. You did main breaks. You pretty much did everything,” he said.

He later moved to the waste water division and oversaw the process to close the two plants and transport waste water to the Des Plaines River plant. During his tenure, he advanced to waste water superintendent and finally to assistant director of public works in 1996.

Working under six mayors, six village administrators and six public works directors, Duprey said his greatest influence was Mayor Henry Paulus. Duprey said Paulus knew his mom was a dispatcher and dad a part-time police officer and saw his potential.

“Henry Paulus was the driving force that saw to give this young guy an opportunity,” he said. “If I was half as good as my mom and dad, I'd be worthy of the position.”

As the village grew, Duprey helped the village plan for it. Creating the Route 22 bypass, he says with a laugh, caused many headaches.

“We had like $2.7 million worth of utility relocates involved with that. From 1954 to 2005, when bypass started, there had never been a road project to that magnitude in Lake Zurich,” he said.

But his greatest challenge was supervising the design and construction of five ionic exchange water plants to provide safe drinking water to the village.

“For me to walk away from the village being able to say we meet all safe drinking water standards, which we do today, was the most important thing to me and the greatest challenge,” he said.

Watching the village population grow from 4,000 to more than 20,000, Duprey said time went by fast.

When he retired in December, village administrators, who knew him as “Duper,” recognized his contributions.

“You've been a dedicated public servant for nearly 40 years, of which the entire department, including myself, can only strive to become,” Public Works Director David Heyden said.

Duprey hopes to enjoy retirement and travel with his family. While he and his family plan to stay put, he is unsure what role he will next play within Lake Zurich.

“He has been approached to think about a village board position, and that is what he is doing. He is thinking,” wife Stephanie said.