Happy St. Patrick's Day
from Your Friends at the 100 Club!
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Paying Tribute to Our Friend
Ron DuPratt
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Ron DuPratt, the namesake of the Dixon Ford dealership that has grown significantly since he bought it 66 years ago, died Thursday morning at the age of 95.
Since 1956, Ron DuPratt Ford has sold many Dixonites their first car and helped maintain their vehicles, but his service to Dixon did not stop there. Over the last six decades, he has given back to his community as a member of the Dixon Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce, and the business he founded has carried on his sense of philanthropy even after he sold it eight years ago.
“The community is very sad that Ron has passed,” longtime Chamber member Herb Cross said. “I’ve talked to several people who have expressed their gratitude for having known Ron over the years and for being involved in his activities and his generosity.”
DuPratt was born in Mason, Nevada in 1926 to parents who immigrated from Italy in 1910. He went on to become an all-state basketball and football player in high school and played for the University of Nevada basketball team from 1945 to 1949.
DuPratt also had a major interest in cars, specifically Fords, according to his son Greg. He always drove Ford cars and initially wanted to buy a dealership in Colfax when moving to California in 1956, but it had already been sold by the time he arrived.
However, Greg said this turned out to be good timing.
“The Chevy dealer at the time was the mayor, and he put three straight Ford dealers out of business,” he said.
Instead, DuPratt decided to purchase the next Ford dealership that was for sale, which happened to be the one in Dixon that started in the 1920s.
At the time DuPratt took over, the business only had a handful of employees, including a mechanic, salesman and office manager. However, as Dixon and its surrounding areas grew, the business itself expanded, drawing in customers from not only Dixon but also Vacaville, Winters and Davis. A 6,000 square foot building and additional parking lot were added in 2004, and DuPratt also established a separate used car dealer in Vacaville about 10 years ago.
Greg said a big part of the dealership’s success was his father’s approach to customer service.
“He always believed that what was good for the customer in the long run was good for the dealership,” he said. “There were times when people weren’t happy with the product, and he would take it back and give money back, and his reputation grew over time.”
Greg said customers came to learn that his father was running a “straightforward operation” and started coming in to do business. This service was reflected in the fact that Ron DuPratt Ford has been a 12-time recipient of the Ford President’s Award, a prestigious prize bestowed to Ford dealers who achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction.
Cross, who met DuPratt shortly after moving to Dixon in 1978, said his business was very dependable.
“Ron was the kind of guy where you went in and said, ‘Ron, I want this car,’ and he’d say, ‘OK,’ and he would call you when the car was ready and you went in and you paid for it,” he said. “You didn’t talk about price because you knew that he was giving you a good price and a fair markup on the car.”
Ron DuPratt Ford has also served as a sponsor for events such as the Dixon May Fair, Grillin’ and Chillin’ and Scottish Highland Games, been a drop-off for Toys for Tots, hosted various fundraisers and also donated vehicles to Will C. Wood High School’s automotive technology program.
Cross said that any time anyone asked for cars for events such as the May Fair Parade or Dixon High School Homecoming Parade, he would donate them. This led to an amusing moment where,as marshal for the May Fair Parade one year, he was joined by two military veterans who, of course, were riding in Fords. However, Cross said he made sure that DuPratt sat in a Chevrolet Camaro. As the announcer for the event, when DuPratt rolled by, Cross asked, “Ron, is that a Chevy Camaro you’re in?”
“We got a big laugh out of that,” he said.
DuPratt’s philanthropy extended beyond his job. In the early ’60s, he was president of the Dixon Chamber of Commerce and helped found what later became the annual Citizen of the Year dinner, which honors those who have contributed to the betterment of Dixon while also being involved in community activities and civic engagement. DuPratt himself was the recipient in 1965. He remained a Chamber member for the rest of his life.
He also served as a planning commissioner and City Council member in the ’70s and joined the Rotary Club soon after moving to Dixon. Greg said his father was all about giving back to the community.
“All of the movers and shakers of Dixon have always been members of the Rotary Club,” he said. “He felt like he needed to be there to be able to have a say in what’s going on.”
Over the next 63 years, DuPratt earned the distinction of never missing a meeting, according to longtime Rotarian and City Councilman Kevin Johnson.
Johnson further described DuPratt as “always happy, always positive.”
“Even at his age, he was always ready to get involved and be part of whatever Rotary was doing in the community,” he said.
Johnson said that when he first moved to Dixon in 2004, he saw DuPratt as somebody who was completely entrenched in the city and someone he looked up to.
“He was just a brick,” he said, “just a complete solid rock of somebody you would look at and want to be like. He was my best example of Dixon.”
At the Rotary Club, DuPratt was an active volunteer at the annual pancake breakfast, which was established in 1965 and held every morning on the day of the May Fair Parade. DuPratt told The Reporter in 2019 that the breakfast was suggested as a way to raise money for club projects, and it became a yearly fixture of the parade. DuPratt continued to cook and serve pancakes at the Olde Vets Hall through 2019 — the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic, when the May Fair was canceled for two years — and the breakfast was named after him about seven or eight years ago.
DuPratt humbly told The Reporter in 2019 that he was reluctant to have the meal renamed after him, but Cross said it was done to honor his years of service.
Cross praised DuPratt as “a very generous, philanthropic individual who gave again and again and again to the community.”
As Ron DuPratt Ford grew, it became even more of a family operation with DuPratt’s sons, Greg and Val, taking on roles as CEO and sales leader, respectively.
However, Greg said times were changing by 2014. Ron was nearing his 90s, Val had no interest in taking over and Greg was getting ready to move to Utah to further his kids’ careers as professional skiers — his son Sam is on the U.S. Olympic Ski Team. They all made the decision to sell the company to Pete Spitzer, who had already served as general manager and brought in some new employees he considered successful.
“It was a nice, easy transition,” Greg said.
Ron DuPratt also remained physically active by skiing, playing tennis at Hall Park and traveling until he turned 90, but he continued to attend Rotary meetings in the years following.
Greg said he would remember his father as always being honest.
“(There was) not a phony bone in his body,” he said. “He would tell you the truth, even when it hurt him or if it would hurt his business. That’s another good legacy to live up to.”
In addition to being a successful business owner, active community participant and philanthropist, Greg said DuPratt was also “a doting father and grandfather.”
A private memorial will be held at a later date.
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Hale Humphrey
Solano County S.O.
End of Watch: March 15, 1963
Rank: Deputy Sheriff
Department: Solano County S.O.
End of Watch: March 15, 1963
Cause: Struck by Vehicle (while on foot)
Age: 43
Years of Service: 11
Description: Struck by vehicle. Struck at road block.
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Gary Wagers
California Highway Patrol
End of Watch: March 15, 2001
Sgt. Gary Wagers had only been in Woodland for four months, yet his dedication to his job was quickly evident. His wife, Linda, received a promotion at the California Department of Motor Vehicles, so he transferred from the Santa Ana area office after almost eight years serving that community and made the move to northern California. Soon he was known in his new office as a supervisor who was approachable and someone co-workers could trust. Sgt. Wagers, I.D. 9221, was last heard from around midnight March 15, while on a 7 p.m. - 3:45 a.m. deuce shift.
It seemed like a routine night. However, something went terribly wrong. An early-morning commuter noticed distinct skid marks on the transition road between SR 113 and I-5 and discovered Wagers' wrecked patrol car down an embankment. The driver called 911 on his cell phone, and despite quick response from officers and paramedics, Wagers was already dead. An autopsy determined that he had died instantly of massive head trauma, and there was no indication of any present medical condition.
As MAIT investigates the accident, few answers exist to explain the tragic outcome. One thing is certain, however: Sgt. Wagers was popular and was well-respected among his peers. "He was a true leader from day one," said Officer Kelly Baraga, I.D. 12428. "He was incredibly knowledgeable." Wagers promoted to sergeant in 1992 in Riverside.
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We Need Your Support!
As we start a new year, don’t forget to pay your annual dues to continue your membership in The 100 Club of Solano and Yolo Counties!
Many members have let their membership lapse, so now is a good time to renew!
The 100 Club has ongoing costs for supporting family members of fallen officers, as well as the need to support our scholarship fund, and other activities.
The pandemic has restricted our fund-raising activities and we really need your support! We’ve made it easy for you to renew. Just go to the Membership page of our website and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Thank you for your continued support of The 100 Club of Solano and Yolo Counties!
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100 Club of Solano and Yolo Counties
Community News
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Please Join us in Congratulating
Dawn Shepherd, on her Retirement!
Fairfield, CA Police Department
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Please join us in congratulating Dawn Shepherd on her retirement!
Thank you for your three decades of service to our community.
Dawn was hired as a Dispatcher with the Fairfield Police Department in 1987. She also interned as a Crime Scene Investigator for Solano and Contra Costa Counties while dispatching.
Her hard work was quickly recognized and in 1997, she was promoted to Lead Dispatcher. In less than a year, she was promoted to Communications Supervisor.
Dawn was later promoted to Dispatch Manager in 2008. Since then, her role has include overseeing Records, Property, and Administrative Support Units.
During her tenure, she has been instrumental in creating the Tactical Dispatch Program, the Communications Training Program and assisted in establishing the Annual Solano County Records and Support Staff Appreciation Luncheon.
Dawn also volunteered in numerous organizations, to include: treasurer of the Police Activities League for over ten years, the California Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (CLETS) User Group as the Director for the Norther Chapter, and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in Solano County.
Dawn has overseen two computer-aided dispatch and records management systems implementations through her career and also assisted with three dispatch remodels, a front lobby and Records Unit remodel, and most recently, our Police Department Atrium remodel.
Dawn received numerous commendations to include an Exceptional Performance Citation in 2003 and Manager of the Year in 2010.
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Thank you to Major Frank Aguon of Fairfield High School and his mighty crew of Jr. ROTC cadets! They adopted a section of Cement Hill Road and have been holding regular cleanups! We appreciate each and every one of you!
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Stay Prepared
Sign up for emergency alerts and notifications
Sign up for a community notification system to stay in the loop regarding critical information about emergencies and other public safety information
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Get Involved in Your Community
Wildfire Management
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The 100 Club of Solano and Yolo Counties
Community Uplift
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Celebrating Trailblazing Women Peace Officers
In celebration of Women’s History Month this March, PORAC is proud to shine a light on women peace officers who helped break down barriers and elevate the profession to what it is today. In a time when law enforcement was known exclusively as an “all-boys club,” these trailblazers paved a path for female officers to overcome stereotypes and pursue a career they care so deeply about.
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Kate Warne
1833 - 1868
When 23-year-old Kate Warne arrived at the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in 1856 to inquire about an open detective position, the agency’s founder, Allan Pinkerton, replied that it wasn’t customary to employ women as detectives.1 Still, Pinkerton was intrigued about what skills she could bring to the detective agency and let her state her case.
Warne replied that “she could go and worm out secrets in many places which it was impossible for male detectives to gain access.” After some thought, Pinkerton agreed and hired her, making her the first female detective in U.S. history.2
Two years after she was hired, Warne received her first major case. Sent to investigate reports of embezzlement within an important client’s staff, Warne befriended Mrs. Maroney, the wife of an expressman thought to be the perpetrator. It didn’t take long for Maroney to trust her new friend and confide in her — so much so that Warne was able to not only prove the husband’s guilt but also track down almost $40,000 of the $50,000 that had been stolen.3
In 1861, Warne’s storied career reached new heights when she helped stop an assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln. Leading up to his inauguration, Lincoln was on a railroad whistle-stop tour from Illinois to Washington, D.C. During this time, Warne went undercover at secessionist parties in Baltimore and was able to uncover the assassination plot and relay the information to Pinkerton. Lincoln was disguised as an invalid traveling on a night train to Washington, D.C., with Warne posing as his sister and caregiver. They slipped through Baltimore undetected and were able to evade those intent on murdering the president-elect.4
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Phoebe Couzins
1842 - 1913
Known as the first woman to be appointed as a deputy U.S. marshal, Phoebe Couzins was also a well-known suffragist, making her a pioneer for women’s rights and a leader for women’s equality in law enforcement.
When Couzins’ father, formerly the St. Louis chief of police, was appointed U.S. marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri in 1884, he made her one of his deputies. Also credited as being one of the earliest female lawyers in the United States — Couzins graduated from law school in 1871 and was licensed to practice in the federal courts and several states5 — she was certainly qualified for the role. After her father’s death in 1887, Couzins was appointed interim U.S. marshal by President Grover Cleveland, making her the first woman ever to serve in that position.6
Couzins left the force when she was replaced by a permanent U.S. marshal two months later and went on to become a public speaker. To put into context just how much the role of U.S. marshal meant to Couzins, when she passed away in 1913, she was buried wearing her U.S. marshal’s badge.
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Alice Stebbins Wells
1873 - 1957
In 1909, Los Angeles social worker Alice Stebbins Wells petitioned Mayor George Alexander and the city council to pass a city ordinance allowing the Los Angeles Police Department to hire female officers. Presenting a strong argument, Wells convinced the city to pass the measure, and on September 12, 1910, she became the nation’s first woman officer with all the authority of her male counterparts.7
Following her appointment, an order was issued that stated, “No young girl can be questioned by a male officer. Such work is delegated solely to policewomen, who, by their womanly sympathy and intuition, are able to gain the confidence of their younger sisters.”8
Wells and her partner, Officer Leo W. Marden, patrolled skating rinks, picture shows, dance halls and other locations where young people might cause trouble and girls might be taken advantage of. Despite her historic hiring, Wells wasn’t satisfied with being one of the very few female officers in the country and continuously pushed for more women in the profession to be hired.
Throughout her career, Wells fought for the idea that women were more than qualified to perform protective and preventive work among juveniles and female criminals. Her hard work resulted in the hiring of women in 16 other U.S. cities and in several other countries. She was also instrumental in organizing the International Policewomen’s Association in 1915.9
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Constance Kopp
1878 - 1931
Constance Kopp, nicknamed “Constance the Cop” by tabloids, had quite a unique path to becoming the country’s first undersheriff. In July 1914, a wealthy silk factory owner named Henry Kaufman crashed his vehicle into a buggy that carried Kopp and her two younger sisters. After refusing to pay for the damages, Kopp filed a lawsuit and was awarded $50.
This clearly irked Kaufman, because not long after, Kopp became the victim of several threats, including receiving a letter from “H.K. & Co.” that stated, “We demand $1,000 or we will kill you. Give monee [sic] to girl dressed in black at the corner of Broadway and Carroll Street, Paterson, Saturday night.”10
Kopp turned to local Bergen County, New Jersey, authorities and Sheriff Robert Heath for help. In response, Heath made the decision to not only arm Kopp and her sisters with revolvers but also work in tandem with Kopp to try and bring down Kaufman.11 While the sting operation wasn’t a success that night — Kaufman would later be convicted and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine12 — Heath was so impressed with Kopp’s bravery that the pair worked together on several other assignments before Heath eventually appointed her as his undersheriff.13
References
1 Allan Pinkerton, The Expressman and the Detective, W. B. Keen, Cooke & Company, 1874, p. 95.
3 Robert Walsh, “The Untold Story of Kate Warne, America’s First Female Private Eye,” explorethearchive.com, October 17, 2018, tinyurl.com/yckmaask.
7 “America’s First Woman Police Officer LAPD Officer Alice Stebbins Wells,” laalmanac.com, tinyurl.com/5369ypjr.
11 Girl, Armed, Waits for Black Handers on Street Corner,” Evening Ledger—Philadelphia, tinyurl.com/mr25sbtr.
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ATTENTION ALL 7th & 8th GRADERS! Are you interested in learning more about law enforcement? The youth academy shares first-hand information on how and why the department operates, and takes a look at the culture of police work and the organization.
Whether you are interested in criminal law, forensics, investigations or want to find out what it takes to be a police officer, the Woodland Youth Community Police Academy is for you.
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Be who you needed when you were a teen! PAL uses traditional recreational programming (fun and choice based) as a gateway to engage teens in programming and activities that support the development of the social and emotional skills required to develop a positive self-identity and become productive and active members of our community. As a PAL Center volunteer, you are on the front lines of creating fun and engaging experiences for local teens!
Bring your talents to the Fairfield PAL Teen Center and give local teens a place to go and grow by:
- Hosting the front desk to make sure all members sign in and out
- Distributing daily snacks and following funders recruitments
- Answering phone calls
- Assisting with games leadership, leading craft projects, and hosting contests and activities
- Introduce new games and activities
May also depending on interest:
- Deal cards for card games
- Host nail painting seminars
- Lead dominos tournaments
- Teach billiards clinics and host tournaments
- Instruct hair braiding workshops
- Facilitate skin and makeup clinics
- Other workshops and sessions based on interest
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McDonald's Yin
2212 North Texas Street
Fairfield, CA 94533
Hours:
24 Hours a Day - 7 Days a Week
Owners: Regina & C.C. Yin
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Travis Air Force Base
400 Brennan Circle
Fairfield, CA 94535
Thank you to the men and women who serve in our armed forces protecting our great nation.
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YOUR BUSINESS HERE
Your business can be featured in our next newsletter for a donation of any amount to 100 Club of Solano and Yolo Counties
If you would like your local, brick-and-mortar business featured in our Local Business Spotlight, please email info100clubsyc@gmail.com
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Use Amazon Smile for your online shopping and Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases
to The 100 Club of Solano and Yolo Counties at no cost to you!
Now available for i0s users!
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