Commerce mayor dies; services set for Monday

February 22, 2008 07:01 pm

— From staff reports
news@joplinglobe.com
COMMERCE, Okla. — Mayor Kenneth Duboise died at 10:30 p.m. Thursday at Baptist Regional Medical Center in Miami.
Duboise, 67, had served as mayor since August.
He also owned the local Dairy King restaurant, delivered the Miami Herald newspaper and ran a lawn-mowing business, according to a daughter, Janet Trease.
She said her father ran for mayor because he wanted “to work for lower water bills, and he just wanted to help the people.”
She said he was an avid football fan, particularly supporting the Commerce Tigers and Oklahoma Sooners.
Jack Julian, a member of the City Council, will serve as mayor pro-tem until the vacancy is filled, according to Lisa Craghead, city clerk.
She said officials believe that an election will have to be scheduled to fill the vacancy, but requirements are being checked by the city attorney.
Arrangements are under direction of the Jim Thomas Funeral Home in Welch.

Funeral services
Funeral services for Kenneth Duboise will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Southeast Baptist Church in Commerce. The family will receive friends at the church from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday.