Ken Duran was a hero to daughter Rosemary, but not just because he went on to become widely influential in the local Latino community and eventually a councilman and mayor.
“He was always there for all of us, each and every one of us – my mom and two sisters,” his daughter said.
She went on to stress that her father was supportive of all extended family members as well, often acting as an adviser if relatives had any sort of question.
“Oh yeah, we looked up to him,” she said. “He was our hero. He was the love of our life – strong minded, family devoted.”
That dedication to his family extended into Duran’s communities – as a leader within local Latino groups and later at the city. Duran, who served two council terms and two tenures as Hollister mayor, has died. He was 85 years old.
Duran was born Oct. 3, 1928. He passed away Jan. 22, with a rosary conducted at Black Cooper Sander funeral home and a Mass held at Sacred Heart Church.
Mickie Luna, a longtime local and national leader with the League of United Latin American Citizens, spoke during Duran’s funeral service. She noted that he was the former mayor of Hollister, former president of the county’s LULAC chapter, a founding member of the San Benito County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Mexican American Committee on Education.
“It was during his leadership as president of LULAC that he was able to take the lead to achieve city council district elections within the City of Hollister,” Luna recited at the service.
She went on to say Duran was the first candidate to run for his district’s seat and won election to the council.
Voters first elected Duran, a heavy equipment operator by trade, to the Hollister council in November 1992. He served two terms until Dec. 4, 2000. He twice served as mayor during the period when council members still rotated into the role.
Duran was born in Nebraska and moved to Hollister at an early age. He was predeceased by his wife, Dolores, and is survived by three children.
By the time Duran had been entering politics, Rosemary was in her mid-30s and remembers making fliers and putting up posters to support her father’s efforts.
“I think he was fairly equal on everything,” she said of his leadership. “He wasn’t always one sided. He listed to everybody’s view.”
