Herman K. Dupre, a winter sports pioneer behind the growth of Seven Springs Mountain Resort, died Saturday, April 25. He was 87.

A cause of death had not been made public.

Dupre’s death was confirmed in a Facebook post by Seven Springs resort.

”The Seven Springs family is saddened by the news of the passing of Herman K. Dupre. Herman was a visionary leader in many ways in the resort and snowmaking industries,” the statement said. The resort was purchased by the Nutting family in 2006.

“But, more importantly, he was a friend and guide to many he encountered, and a loving husband to Sis, his wife of 63 years, and an inspirational father to his nine daughters. Together with the rest of the Dupre family, they forged a welcoming and important place for many in these Laurel Mountains.”

Dupre was born Aug. 13, 1932 in Ligonier. It was the same year his parents, Bavarian immigrants Adolph and Helen Dupre, founded what became the Seven Springs ski resort

But it was Herman who built the Seven Springs ski area into a major mountain attraction after taking over the reins of the resort at age 23 following the death of his father. His other claim to fame was that he was a trailblazer in snowmaking, figuring out how to take advantage of high-pressure air and water to make snow.

Dupre is the holder of 34 U.S. patents for the HKD snowmaking system, the first of which he received in 1973. In 1990, he introduced the standard tower snow gun, another example of the advancements he developed that have allowed winter resorts throughout the world to have snowmaking capacity.

Saint Vincent College, his alma mater, named an educational facility named after him in 2009 following a gift from Dupre family. The Sis and Herman Dupre Science Pavilion provides classrooms, laboratories and offices for the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing. Dupre graduated in 1953 from Saint Vincent, where he studied industrial management and chemistry.

Herman Dupre is survived by his wife of 63-years Mary “Sis” (McSwigan), nine daughters: Denise, Laura, Rosi, Anni, Jan, Heidi, Gretl, Michele, and Renee, 29 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren: Ava, Berit, Calvin, Cam, Casey, Daisy, Edel, Eli, Emily, Gordon, Gus, Heidi, Henry, Herman Robert, Izzy, Lars, Libby, Liza, Marcella, Maria, Max. Mia, Nelson, Noah, Ollie, Pauline, Sabina, Shannon, Sophia, Tess, and Tilly.

A private funeral service is being held. A celebration of his life will be planned in the future.

In honor of Herman’s life, the family is accepting contributions to The Sis and Herman Dupre Science Pavilion at St. Vincent College.

The family is also archiving stories, memories, and lessons learned from Herman. You can send yours to SisAndFamily@gmail.com.

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