WEST BOYLSTON- Richard R. “Rich” Dufour, 68, of West Boylston died Monday, March 31, 2014 in his daughter’s home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire after a courageous battle with advancing bivalvular heart failure.

He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, son of the late Raymond and Sophia (Hardy) Dufour. He graduated from Shrewsbury High School in 1965.

Rich leaves his loving daughters, Jennafer Dufour Barstow of Portsmouth, NH and Samantha Barry of Jacksonville, Florida; a brother, Raymond Dufour, Jr and his wife, Carol of Colchester, VT ; a sister, Jeanne Staley and her husband, Ronald of Fayetteville, NC; four grandchildren, C. Alexis Morales of Guaynabo, PR, Dylan McShera of Santa Anna, CA, Cole and Sommer Barstow of Portsmouth, NH; a niece, Lisa DeFrancesco and her husband, Michael of Quincy, Mass; and several close friends, Bobbie Domiano , Nick Perrone, Al Stearns, and Jack Perez all of Worcester. He was predeceased by a daughter, An’gela Dufour who died in 1998.

He retired after decades of dedicated services as an expert machinist and fabricator from Cincinnati Milicron/ Heald Machine Corp in Worcester.

Rich was an avid sportsman, he was very much at home in the outdoors. He was an accomplished hunter and fisherman. He was award winning in mountain men primitive competitions including black powder rifle shooting and tomahawk & knife throwing. Rich was a long standing member of several local gun clubs, including being very active at the Eight Point Gun Club in Sterling at the time of his passing.

He loved spending time with his family, especially being surrounded by his grandkids. Rich enjoyed taking goose hunting trips to Canada and Upstate NY with his buddies. He was also a Firearms Instructor for the Woman on Target Program at the Auburn Sportsman Club.

He enjoyed designing and constructing with great skill and authentic detail his leather pouches, powder horns, and “possibles” to pay respect to the genuine mountaineers dressage while competing in mountain men primitive competitions.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Mr. Dufour’s family on Thursday, April 3, 2014 from 5-7 PM in the Britton-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, 648 Main Street, Shrewsbury. His funeral will be on Friday April 4, 2014 from the funeral home with a funeral Mass at 10 AM in Saint Mary’s Church, 648 Main Street, Shrewsbury. Burial will follow in Mountain View Cemetery, Shrewsbury. Donations can be made in “Papa’s” honor to Beacon Hospice, 95 Brewery Lane, Unit 10, Portsmouth, N.H. 03801.