COLMESNEIL – Colmesneil mayor Duane Crews died Saturday, Oct. 11 after an extended battle with cancer, at the age of 74.
Crews was a long-time member of city council in Colmesneil; he served as mayor pro-tem for years until he was appointed mayor in July 2021 with the resignation of long-time mayor, the late Don Baird. He was elected to another term in 2023 and was up for re-election this year.
After Crews had been appointed to fill his predecessor’s position, he told the Booster that Baird, who had the longest tenure of service of any mayor in the city’s history, “set the bar pretty high,” and he thanked him for “a job well done.”
Crews received his cancer diagnosis two years ago, and through it all, he still continued to fulfill his duty to the city, when his health allowed. For the majority of 2025, mayor pro-tem Bubba Sheffield stepped up, and has been filling the position, as Crews’ illness progressed.
Crews was a lifelong resident of the city, and a 1969 alumni of Colmesneil ISD; while in high school, he was a lifeguard at Lake Tejas. He worked for Brown and Root, and Lufkin Industries, before operating Crews Services for 40 years. Crews was described as a “jack of all trades.”
City Secretary Wendy Bendy issued a heartfelt statement about her boss. Bendy said, “he was very laid back, and he wanted what was best for the city, during his term, he got what was best for the city. We got that grant to renovate North Pitzer Street, and he oversaw all of that. I talked to him every day. He wanted to know what was going on. As his illness progressed, those phone calls got less and less.”
Bendy added that “his workers ran the city, he was just the overseer. He loved us all so much. He made a big impact for the short time he was in office, and I love him and will miss him so much. He loved us, took care of us, and if we needed anything, he tried to make it happen’. She added, “he always loved for the candy jar to be full because he took Tootsie Rolls to his grandkids.”
Bendy said Crews would point out to her, “Wendy, the candy bowl needs to be filled.”
Keith Barnes, who is the utilities director for the city, said “Duane was the fourth mayor I have worked under in Colmesneil; he was a good one.”
Funeral services are set for Friday, Oct. 17 at Stringer and Griffin Funeral Home Chapel in Woodville, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m., and lasting until the 11 a.m. service time, with Dale Brantley officiating.
