October 22, 1952 - June 22, 2011

The Georgia Law community mourns the death of Hosch Professor Anne Proffitt Dupre, a highly respected scholar, teacher, mentor and friend. A 1988 alumna of Georgia Law, she joined the law school faculty in 1994 and specialized in education law and contract law. Anne passed away June 22 at the age of 58.



Athens Banner-Herald Obituary 6/26/11

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Obituary 6/26/11

Georgia Law Faculty Profile


Please send your fond memories and condolences via e-mail to: hmurphy@uga.edu .

We will post selected e-mails to this Web page so all can share in the memory of this beloved teacher, scholar and friend.

Remembrances of Anne Proffitt Dupre:
 

Professor Dupre was a rare breed of teacher and the best kind: she cared for her students and seemingly would do anything for them, including kicking them in their hind parts when they needed it; she led by example, preparing assiduously for each class and challenging us to match her effort.

It saddens me that future generations of students won't have the absolute treat that I and many others had of sitting in her classroom and of just getting to be near her a few times each week, trying to keep up and absorb her indefatigable spirit and zest for learning.

I know that if myself and others try to share just a portion of what she taught us with the world and the legal community, all will be better for it.

- Ryan C. Tuck (J.D. Candidate '12)


I don't think there will ever be a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law who honored her degree and her institution more than Anne.  She saw that the law school was special, and she made it even more special by the contributions she made as a faculty member.  She loved this place, and anyone who has been a part of this school over the last twenty years could not help but feel that love.  We will all miss her terribly.

- Post Professor Paul J. Heald


I am truly sorry to learn of the passing of our colleague, friend, and collaborator Anne Proffitt Dupre. I spoke with her about 4 weeks ago, and we said our goodbyes. She was funny and courageous to the end. On the morning she died, I went back and read her wonderful chapter on Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier in our book. I urge all of you to do so as a memorial to her.

This is my very sad duty to acknowledge this, especially so closely on the heels of the passing of Professor Doug Toma, another UGA education law scholar, and a close friend of Anne.

- Michael A. Olivas, University of Houston Law Center


There can be no better colleague than Anne Dupre. In the fall of 2004, when my father was in his final days, I often needed to go to south Georgia on short notice. Since I was teaching my Law and Disability course in the fall, I had to work around it, sometimes conducting an online lecture and discussion in lieu of our regularly scheduled class time and sometimes just canceling the class. On the day we were scheduled to discuss several disability cases involving education, I once again got a call to come to south Georgia. I knew Anne was familiar with those cases, and being reluctant to cancel another class, I asked if she would take my class (a 2-hour seminar) that day. She said yes without hesitation. Only later when I stopped to thank her did I learn that she had her own 2-hour seminar meeting immediately after mine. She even apologized for letting my students go a half hour early to give her time to have a quick bite before her class, since the two classes spanned the lunch hour. I would have understood completely if she had said she couldn't take my class, but her generous spirit led her to inconvenience herself in order to ease my burden a little. I had looked forward to many more years enjoying her friendship and her brilliant mind. UGA Law is much diminished by her passing.

- E. Ann Puckett, Law Library Director and Professor Emerita


Even if you did not have Professor Dupre as teacher, you knew what an amazing faculty member she was through the "law student grape vine." Her passion for Georgia Law, and to education law specifically, was extremely admirable. Her ability and commitment to push students to achieve their very best while also caring deeply for her students, her colleagues, and her institution will never be forgotten. A Georgia Law graduate can only aspire to be as accomplished and knowledgeable, yet as humble as Professor Dupre. She will be deeply missed by every Georgia Law graduate, even those she may never have spoken to, as she has touched each and every one of us.

- Jennifer E. Geller ( J.D.'09)


I had a great opportunity to have Professor Dupre for my Children & the Law course my final year of law school in 2010. I remember she had such compassion for the cases we discussed because of her love for children. She was a great soul and gave me great pep talks and advice about life, career, and family. My fondest memory of Professor Dupre was her concern for her students as individuals. She was always willing to listen and give no nonsense thoughts on situations. She definitely was no push over and drove everyone she met to be the best person they could be. She will be greatly missed by the University of Georgia family. I hope we can all learn a lesson from our departed friend, that finding a passion and striving towards success.

Rest in Peace Mrs. Dupre.

-Chase-Julian Cheatham (J.D.'10)


I had Professor Dupre for Contracts, Children & the Law and Education Law. Despite the fact that her classes made me nervous, I just couldn't stay away. In the Spring of 2010, I was working at a Public Defender's Office, where I spent some of my time in Juvenile Court. I kept thinking of how much I enjoyed the guest speakers in Children & the Law when I was in her class. So, I got together with the primary Juvenile Court attorney in our PDs office. I emailed Professor Dupre to offer to speak to her class. When she said she'd love to have us, the nerves started all over again. Towards the end of the Spring 2010 semester, I returned to her class - this time as a speaker and not a student. I, of course, prepared thoroughly with the help of my colleague! Shortly thereafter, I learned that Professor Dupre was battling cancer. I am so glad I sent that email, and I feel privileged that I had the opportunity to return to her class one last time. She was a tremendous educator and a strong education advocate. She will be greatly missed.

- Ginny Garrard Ingels (J.D.'07)


I remember the first day of Contracts and being so utterly scared, and yet enamored by the professor. By the end of the second week in law school I was still scared, but totally in love with Professor Anne Dupre. Having come from Spelman College, a Historically Black women's college, where I learned the value of being taught by strong, intelligent women. I was grateful for the opportunity to spend an entire year learning from a woman who was so smart, so passionate about her career, and so supportive of her students. Although throughout the entire year she instilled the fear of God in me, and I never went to class any less than over-prepared, the fear was more so associated with not wanting to disappoint or disrespect her-as she clearly put so much time and effort into being overly prepared for every single one of our classes.
I have many favorite moments from classes with Professor Dupre, including the constant rivalry/jokes between her, Professor Eaton and Dean Kurtz, but one of my favorite moments during the year was in the beginning of the spring semester, right after we received some of the first of our 1L "grades."
When Section X came back into our Contracts classroom the day after we received our first 1L "grades," nobody knew what to say to one another or what to do. Nobody wanted to show his or her happiness for fear of making a friend who did not do as well feel badly. The people who did poorly didn't want to appear depressed because they didn't want their classmates to think any less of them. There were also members of our section who did not return after winter break, so it was a generally somber atmosphere.
Professor Dupre was standing at the front of the classroom, presumably going over her notes or deciding whom she would call on that class. The clock struck 11:28am and the classroom was already silent. At the beginning of our first year, Professor Dupre instilled a level of fear in us all, having started the year firing questions at a, luckily, very well prepared student. The second student, as I recall, was no so lucky, and after pausing a little too long to answer a questions we received our first "Dupre lecture" about the importance of being prepared. By the second semester, we knew the protocol and so at 11:28am a hush came over the room and we waited in anticipation of what lesson Professor Dupre would provide for us that day.
At 11:30am on the dot, she looked up from her notes and scanned the room. "Well," she began, "I know this is a hard time for you." Instead of going into our regular routine of briefly reviewing what we discussed during the last class, and then picking up right from where we left off, she walked out from behind the podium and spoke to us very sincerely about grades and law school. She acknowledged the various positions we were in--some people having done extremely well, other having done extremely poorly, and some who had left law school all together. She then did something that I will remember forever because her words and actions are what encouraged me not to give up on law school.
She said to us that law school is not for everyone, and if we felt as though we never wanted to look at or analyze another statute or case for as long as we lived, we should probably leave law school. "But!" she continued, if we didn't get the grades we wanted and found it very difficult to analyze statutes and case law but we still didn't mind doing it, then we needed to stay in law school and just keep at it. I had not done particularly well on my exams, and I was one of those students wondering if this was really the right path for me. She went on to say that when we got all our exams back we should look them over, read over sample answers and talk to our professors. She told us that if we "followed her" she would help us get where we wanted to go, we just had to put in the work. Out of everything she said, what hit me the most was when she told us it would be a lot of work in the spring, especially to bring up our grades, but we couldn't be afraid to try and fail. She told us that what often stops so many people is the fear that they might give it their all and still fail. I could relate to this fear as I was living this fear. I felt like she was talking directly to me and I knew she was right. Although her words were not the end of my struggle, they were the beginning of a change. To this day I wonder how she knew what to say that-I suppose the number of years she taught and that fact that she stayed so in touch with the students and what they were going through, and lived it herself, gave her the wherewithal to know what some of us were thinking. But still it amazes me, and from that day on, I put in my very best effort even in the face of my very real fear that I might fail despite all my efforts.
There are many stories I could tell about Professor Dupre and Section X's first year contracts class. I really feel as though the moment I mentioned above was my favorite because it speaks volumes about her character, her devotion to her students and her interest in our well-being. She taught us so much about contracts and being a good law student, but she also instilled in us the importance of being a well-rounded and good person. She knew more about each of us than we ever could have guessed, and on the last class of the year, she singled out certain people and highlighted their progression in contracts, their constant support of classmates throughout the year (outside of contracts), and their achievements in student organizations and moot and mock trial.
I knew from that second week in law school that Professor Dupree was a force to be reckoned with, and that she had to be my mentor after the year ended! I was resigned to take all of her classes and basically become a groupie. So it is with great sadness that I recount my memories of Professor Dupre, knowing I will never again have the pleasure of having her as a Professor or a mentor. But she and her lessons are firmly engrained in my memory and those of all my section X colleagues, and I know that we will carry her memory and her lessons with us forever.

- Sarah L. Wooten (J.D. Candidate '12)


In August 2008, my father passed away two weeks before the start of my 2L year. I returned to law school highly unsure of whether or not I would remain for my dream to have my father see me walk across the stage at graduation vanished with his unexpected departure. It was the words of Professor Dupre, "just put one foot in front of the other," that made the balance of my years in law school "do-able." Professor Dupre will be remembered as an exceptional and brilliant teacher, mentor, and friend. I am extremely saddened by her loss yet equally fortunate to have crossed paths with such a wonderful human being.

- S. Aliya Charlery (J.D.'10)
 


I was deeply, deeply saddened to learn of Professor Dupre's death early Tuesday morning. Professor Dupre inspired her students because she expected the best and she had no patience for anything less. And, of course, she cared. She really cared about her students. This is a great loss to the law school, but even more so, a loss to all of us who had the privilege to know her.

 

Professor Dupre and I had a special, first-day relationship. Our section was her first - both her first year teaching, and the very first class she taught. And I was the first student she ever called on. There followed 50 minutes of grueling cross-examination, standing up (no sitting for Professor Dupre, at least not as a first year) in front of 70 people I'd just met and who I just knew were evaluating every word I said and thinking "Really? She sounds like a complete moron. Did she read at all? Or is she just that dumb?" Naturally, I was terrified. And so, as it turned out, was Professor Dupre. She told me later how she'd worried over that first day, that first student to be called on. What would happen if she picked someone who was unprepared or who couldn't take the pressure? Her whole plan for the lesson required an interaction, a question and answer. A conversation. So, strangely, she was perhaps as relieved to have picked me as I was petrified at being chosen. She scared the heck out of us, but she was human.

But I had so much more to learn. When I walked into class that first morning, I'd been proud that I'd even read the cases for the first day (Who does real work on the first day, right?). When I walked out, I knew that this class and this professor would challenge my intellect in a way I'd never experienced before. She made me into a thinker. She brought out the best in me. I'll always be grateful to Professor Dupre for that.

- Juliana Rowland (J.D.'97)

 


I did not attend UGA Law, but rather met Prof. Dupre in Lyon, France where she taught my American Contracts class. She was a marvelous professor who made a difficult subject interesting and understandable to an international class. She was an inspiring woman for new female lawyers. My condolences to her family and friends.

- Kathryn L. Harris (former student)


If you are very lucky in your life, you will have a teacher like Professor Dupre. She didn't just teach Contracts or Education law; she taught us the meaning of preparedness, of diligence, of hard work, and of attention to detail. As the news of her passing has quickly reached the outermost corners of the awesome network of people whose lives she touched, I find that her lessons are not yet over. As the stories pour in, my heart swells with pride for having known this incredible, courageous, and inspirational woman. Like so many others, I remember how hard she pushed all of us in her first year Contracts class. I also remember how she took the time to remind us how well we were doing. I remember how much her praise meant to me. I remember the recommendation letter that helped me get my first clerkship out of law school. And, as the days pass, I will remember the woman who lit the path in front of me and I will do my very best to guide those who come after me in the same way that she guided so many of us.

- Sarah M. Stephens (J.D.'08)


Anne was one of the smartest, funniest, most fearless people I've ever known.  Particularly as a young woman entering law teaching, there was no greater role model for us to look up to than Anne.  She was a friend, colleague, teacher, scholar and mentor, and she excelled at all of these roles. I remember the first time I met Anne.  It was during my interview with the Law School.  After a delightful dinner, she turned to me and said, "I like you.  I've decided you will come here."  And you just always needed to do whatever Anne told you to do!  After Anne gave my infant daughter an adorable little bathrobe as a present, it became a running joke between us that all you really needed in life to be happy was a warm bathrobe.  It showed how Anne truly understood the value of the simple things in life.  I wrote to her recently to tell her that she will always be wrapped in a warm bathrobe of love and friendship.  She will be so missed.

- Associate Professor Sonja R. West


Anne was so full of vitality, I spent the first few days after her passing telling people, "I can't believe she's gone."  But then it occurred to me that she really isn't gone. Anne gave of herself so fully, that we all --former students, colleagues, and friends -- carry a piece of her with us.  Her loss is wrenching, but that thought has given me some comfort. 

- Associate Professor Usha Rodrigues


Professor Dupre was an invaluable asset to UGA law and will be forever missed and fondly remembered by those of us who had the privilege to have her as our teacher. Of all of the important lessons she taught us, the two that had the greatest impact in my life were: (1) to always be prepared (for anything, from an argument to a wine tasting), and (2) to always be proud of being a lawyer, a profession whose value society often takes for granted. I will honor her by continuing to act, as to every aspect of my life, accordingly.

- Glianny Fagundo (J.D.'00)


Prof. Dupre was the type of professor that everyone who has ever dreamt of teaching hopes to be. She inspired us to never stop reaching, never stop trying and never be content with good enough. She led by example and provided her students with an awe inspiring role model. She was strong, scary and compassionate all at the same time. She will be missed more than words can accurately express.

 

- Lori D. Barker (J.D.'08)

 


I have fond memories of Anne! She was a third year student when I first arrived to UGA Law. She was GENUINELY kind and sincere. She made me feel like I belonged when I was so unsure of myself. She was humble and I never knew until the middle of the fall term that she had such a keen intellect. She never made others feel small in her presence. The UGA community will miss her gifts.

- Verda (Andrews) Colvin (J.D.'90)


When I think of UGA Law, I think of Professor Dupre. As someone who could too easily be classified as a "bleeding heart" before my time at UGA Law, I came to law school in the search of learned logic and reason, delicately balanced with compassion, and I overwhelmingly found these qualities in her.

Lord knows, I may never be a legal scholar, but I have a drive to find success in other endeavors, likely in the field of environmental law and sustainability policy. I will strive to be a catalyst for meaningful change. One day I hope to make a tiny dent of a difference in this world, but only because of the foundational tools mentors like Professor Dupre helped to instill in me.

Walking out of a room with Professor Dupre always left me digging deep within myself to see what more I had to give. I mention my experience because it is overwhelming to think of all of the others who must regard her in a similar light. Professor Dupre is proof of the profound impact one person can have on so many lives.

Professor Dupre had the ability to bring out the best in people because she saw what others oftentimes overlooked. She recognized potential-especially the kind that extended outside the classroom-and she challenged others to expand their outer limits. She has helped so many to uncover and develop their talents. Professor Dupre pushed those around her toward excellence, and those who listened thrived. She saw past herself, always working to motivate others. Through these acts of devotion, passion, and selflessness, there is no doubt that she has inspired greatness.

I mourn the loss of such a strong, confident, and brilliant woman, but I am thankful for the time I got to spend being humbled in her presence.

- Jenah Zweig (J.D. '11)


While I have many fond memories of law school, being part of Professor Dupre's first Contracts class is on top of that list. She instilled the important values of preparation, perseverance and respect in all her students. It was evident from the very beginning that she was a professor concerned that her students would learn the curriculum of her class, but perhaps more importantly, she wanted to ensure that they would have the best chance to successfully progress through law school and succeed in life after leaving law school.

 

What is most memorable about Anne was the sincere interest she took in her students, including myself. At our ten year law school reunion several years ago, I had the opportunity to reminisce with Anne about our class, and I was taken back about how much she remembered about my classmates and I. This is a reflection of how much she cared about the lives of her students. Professor Dupre positively impacted the lives of many people-I consider myself fortunate to be one of those people. We have not only lost a great professor, but a great person who was unselfishly caring and compassionate about others. Anne will forever be missed.

- Robert J. Soper (J.D.'97)

 


Any 1L student who had the privilege of sitting in Anne Dupre's contracts classes over the better part of the last two decades will remember what made her classroom unique: her three simple rules -- stay three cases ahead in the book, brief every case, and be on time (which meant at least five minutes early); her Rapid Fire Fridays, where questions ricocheted around the room with supersonic speed, something she particularly relished when prospective law students visited and sat spellbound in the back of the room; her steadfast admonishment to do more than skate on the surface; her constant desire to infuse "real life" lawyering principles into the material; the initial terror she struck in all of us when, on the first two or three days of class, she walked in, approached the podium in businesslike fashion, and then asked questions for 50 straight minutes, never introducing herself, only exiting at the end of the period; and on and on.

 

But those aspects, and many more, were tools in Professor Dupre's powerful arsenal, equal parts intellect and sweat. I cannot recall a more learned person, for whom so many things came so naturally, who still wanted to work in the trenches, stretch her horizons, and get dirt under her fingernails. She never tired of learning new things, and she always prepared old things as if she were seeing them in the first instance.

On a personal note, Anne and I became friends after law school. She ribbed me, almost unmercifully, about my allegiance to my undergraduate alma mater, Georgia Tech. (This amazing woman could talk about option football or zone defense in basketball with as much fluency as she could Hazelwood vs. Kuhlmeier.) Every November we would reestablish our verbal jousts, and, more times than not, I would slink into hiding following that Saturday after Thanksgiving.

I recall one conversation in particular -- October 28, 2004 -- the day after her beloved Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1918. With her voice trembling, she talked not of a sports victory but, in words more poetry than prose, of her longsuffering grandfather and how she wished he had been around to see it.

Yesterday, I thumbed through my notes from her class. On our third day together, she stood behind the podium and patiently waited for the appointed hour. When the clock struck two, she closed her book, walked around the lectern, and for the first time that semester smiled and said to us, "Good afternoon. I am Anne Proffitt Dupre. Welcome to Contracts and Sales I." That day, with tears brimming in her eyes, she said the following: "Be proud of yourself. Be proud that you are in this school. And never, never, ever let anyone tell you that just because you are not sitting in a classroom in Cambridge or New Haven or Chicago or Palo Alto, that you are somehow not as gifted or will not be as successful of a lawyer. You, and you alone, really determine how far you can go." I wrote down what she said verbatim, but I cannot capture the passion with which she said and, of course, just how much she meant it. With her untimely passing, UGA Law certainly has lost one of its most prominent advocates and relentless cheerleaders.

Without a doubt, Anne was the professor, among all those in whose classrooms I sat and learned, for whom I had the most respect and who provided me the most guidance, not just as a lawyer but as a good professional and as a good person filled with dignity, grace, curiosity... and maybe even a little mischief now and then.

- Chris Young (J.D.'06)


Former students often speak of their fear of Professor Dupre. And, when we do, we do so with a smile and with much admiration. We speak of fear, but that does not truly capture the feeling. Our hearts did palpitate differently for those hours we sat in her class. But, when we look back on our time in her classroom, we know that it was not fear that we felt. What we felt was the rush-the anticipation-of knowing that we might not reach her amazingly high expectations. She raised the bar in every sense of the word. And, she raised it for everyone. Every student knew that he could do better-that he could learn more-because Professor Dupre knew that each of us could and demanded that each of us did.

The finest teachers figure out how to help students help themselves. Professor Dupre did this in droves. She was like a personal trainer for law students. Sure, we learned contracts in the year we spent with Professor Dupre. But, we also learned that you really do not understand a judicial opinion after the first (or second) read. And, we learned that a little more work makes a lot of difference. We learned how to appreciate the talents and see the growth of each of our classmates. And, perhaps most importantly, we learned that you do not have to finish at the top to know you have conquered your mountain.

Professor Dupre knew that each of us conquered our mountain in that first year of law school. She knew because she had taught and trained law students for decades, helping each person reach further and try harder to be a better student and person. Professor Dupre's students put in the work and achieved great results because she set the bar high and stared us down and made us work until she knew we had reached it.

Professor Dupre loved Georgia Law. She loved to teach. And, she loved her students. It is for this that we mourn for her family, for her friends, for her colleagues, for her former students, and for those who will not have the privilege of learning from the best of the best.

- Jennifer L. Case (J.D. Candidate '12)


Professor Dupre was so much more than just a wonderful professor. She genuinely took an interest in each and every one of her students. I was lucky enough to have Professor Dupre as my first year contracts professor, which was terrifying and extremely fulfilling all at the same time. I also took several of her upper level courses. As a student of hers, you instantly became aware of the depth of her knowledge on each of the subjects she taught but you also knew that she wanted her students to do well, not only in law school but in life. She had such high expectations for each of her students that we all strived to live up to them. She also cared about her students on a personal level. My Mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in my second year of law school. She passed away the February following my graduation from law school. Professor Dupre sent me an e-mail shortly after my mother's passing, sharing her personal experience with losing her Mother and encouraging me to "just keep swimming." I was so touched by this gesture of kindness. It is just one example of Professor Dupre's caring for her students, which didn't stop at our graduation. Professor Dupre will always be remembered for her outstanding work in her profession and for her personal grace and kindness. She will be sorely missed.

- Tracy Richards Crider (J.D.'08)


I have many fond memories of Anne, beginning from when she was a student. Interestingly, one of the most vivid is when she came up to my office to tell me she had just had an editorial/letter published in USA Today! She was excited to be reaching out to the hundreds of thousands of people reached by that publication, and she knew how happy I would be for her. My daughter, Kate, who took several of Anne's classes while a student at the law school. She described her as the most caring teacher she had had. We all will miss Anne very much.

- Lumpkin Professor James "Jim" F. Ponsoldt


I was a law school classmate of Anne's. I was recently reminded by another classmate that a few short weeks into our first year, I projected Anne Dupre to be the likely valedictorian of our class. As obvious as that would appear now, given her distinguished career in the law, this wasn't so apparent at the time, at least not to her. I recall a very exhausted and overwhelmed Anne Dupre sitting in my living room in December 1985, shortly before our first year mid-terms. She was shaken and unsure of herself, convinced that she was going to fail every one of her exams, despite having studied for hours and days on end with little rest. I tried to reassure her. I recognized her brilliance and knew that she would be fine. But I certainly understood - she had been out of school for quite some time, and returning to the "other side of the desk" wasn't easy for her. She worked so hard, but she was her own worst enemy. She had also recently lost a beloved cat, and I think overall she was just at the end of her rope. She was ready to walk away, just pack it in and leave. My roommate and I talked her down, and she went ahead and took those exams. When her near perfect grades came back, Anne's confidence in herself was restored, and the rest is history! She was first in our class from the beginning, and so deserving of it. She worked hard as a student, not just to further her own studies, but to help move others around her forward as well, which is almost unheard of in the traditional cut-throat law school atmosphere. As Editor-in-Chief of the Georgia Law Review, she inspired quality and elevated that publication and her editors to higher levels. As a scholar, she was always available to help others for whom the study of law didn't come quite as easily. And above all, she was just such a lovely, good person with a unique spirit.

 - Elizabeth Marlowe (J.D.'88)


Anne Proffitt Dupre first crossed my path when she was Editor-in-Chief of the Georgia Law Review. We had several conversations about some important matter involving the Review. While the details of the issue have long escaped my memory, what lingers is my first impression of her----very bright, very passionate, very thorough, very thoughtful. While I never had the pleasure of having her in a class of mine, I remember thinking after those conversations that she symbolized the best of our students.

Having followed her post-law school career with pride, I was thrilled when she decided to return to her alma mater to join our faculty, turning down offers from other schools. And what a jewel she turned out to be. A master teacher, a prolific scholar, a nationally-recognized expert in education law, an outstanding "law school citizen" and "university citizen" and a person who brought energy and enthusiasm to every project or assignment on her plate. One of the joys of working at the Law School in the past 17 years was the opportunity to interact with such a wonderful person.

For many years, Anne and I taught the same first-year section, and it was truly remarkable hearing our mutual students talk about her and seeing her interact with them in social settings. They had an obvious respect for her, but a deep admiration [dare I say love?] as well. She was known for her expert use of the Socratic method, her thorough preparation for class and her seeming ability to know everything about her students. She was firm, but fair, and understood her obligation to be to push them on to become the best they could be. And how proud she was of them.......she often would burst into my office [yes, she did a lot of bursting] to report on an accomplishment of a current or former student, whether it was a case won, a new position obtained, an engagement announced or a baby welcomed.

And Anne knew how to laugh and be light. A number of her former Contracts students will recall the performance she and I would put on during the class discussion of the Law of Conditions. Unannounced, I would enter the classroom to read as poetry the words of the 1968 song by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition entitled "Just Dropped in to See What Condition My Condition was In." While I would read, Anne would be playing the song on a boom box and waving a match or lighter, as if she was a concert goer enjoying the performance. The combination of joy and surprise on her students' faces will be etched in my mind forever. She did, by the bye, have almost total recall of song titles and lyrics from pop songs of the late 60's and early 70's. A number of our e-mail exchanges were sprinkled with particularly apt quotations from The World According to Rock and Roll.

Others have suggested it is painful to think of her not here with us at her beloved UGA law school. I would enter a mild concurrence and dissent. While she will not be physically present, she will continue to be with each of us so long as we have the gift of memory, where this truly remarkable and gifted individual will reside forever.

- Associate Dean Paul M. Kurtz


Anne Dupre is the best teacher I ever had.

 

She taught attention to detail, organization, and preparation.  She demanded rigorous thinking. 

 

She questioned us, "probing" - her word - for weakness and when she found it she excised it.

 

I hated her most of my first year.  But I grew to love her.  Now, I appreciate the debt I owe her.  

 

She prepared me for my professional life like no other teacher or experience in the Academy.

 

We have lost a remarkable teacher. 

 

I am deeply saddened.

- E. Howard Merry (J.D.'99)


My condolences to Ms. Dupre's family, friends and to the UGA law community.

- Karen Jenkins Young (J.D.'85)
 


 

Anne continued to bring extreme class and prestige to the Class of '88 while attending as a student and for the rest of her all too short life.

- Donald C. "Hank" Suessmith (J.D.'88)

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Mrs. Dupre has often run through my mind over the last 30 years or so. She was a remarkable teacher. I did not attend her law classes. She was my fifth grade teacher. She was amazing. She exposed us to things that no other teachers did. She taught Us stamp collecting and music appreciation. I chose today to try to find her to thank her. And instead found an obituary from 2011. I was very saddened. Thank you Mrs. Dupre for all you gave.

- Michelle Fuller, Palm Springs Elementary School