Stillwater NewsPress

August 26, 2010

Peter Jay duBois

STILLWATER, Okla. — Peter Jay duBois, 49, beloved son of Ron Perry duBois and Thora Solveig (Asgeirson) duBois, passed from this life on Friday, July 23, 2010, at the OU Medical Center, Oklahoma City. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010, at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Stillwater with the Rev. Carol Fincher officiating.

Peter was born at the old Stillwater Municipal Hospital on June 6, 1961, and grew up in Stillwater, graduating from then C.E. Donart High School in 1981. Stillwater was his hometown. He spent his summers with his family on Lake Winnipeg, north of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, his mother’s hometown.

A compassionate, loving and friendly human being, Peter was kind to everyone, animals as well as people. As a young boy, he was happy and gregarious with many friends. He attended the Unitarian-Universalist Sunday School, was a Cub Scout and was a paper boy for the NewsPress. He was a member of the Stillwater Aquatic Club and became a strong and graceful swimmer. Peter also took piano lessons and at age 10 won two St. Cecilia Music Club Scholarships, one for his age group and also the scholarship for best overall performance (then the Thamazin Hutchins now given to an outstanding college freshman).

At age 11, Peter accompanied his parents to South Korea (father on Fulbright Grant). He enjoyed the interaction with the Korean students at Keimjoung Christian College, playing ping-pong and tennis and visiting their homes. He especially loved going with them to the local eating places for steaming bowls of ramyan (noodle soup). A very important activity that year was the study of the martial art of tae kwon do. Peter and his brothers Jon and Marc went daily for lessons both at Camp Henry and in downtown Taegu.

Although he didn’t complete his seventh-grade Calvert School Correspondence course, Peter learned so much in a non-traditional way — appreciating a new culture, including walking up into the wooded mountains not far from our house and visiting beautiful tiny Buddhist temples — always situated near rushing mountain streams. In Taegu we had no TV or even radio so Peter and his brothers loved to visit the U.S. Army Camp Henry where they could check out books at the library (and also go to the cafeteria where they could have a real American hamburger!). Peter’s taste in reading was quite sophisticated for his age. He shunned the “easy read” shallow stuff in favor of really good writing and subjects that dealt with people, relationships and the “human condition.” He came to enjoy John Steinbeck and read almost all his novels. His taste in movies also reflected this interest.

At age 16 he had another new cultural experience, traveling to India via New York, London, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt with his parents and brother Jon. Again he missed another year of school — but completed his senior year later.

Peter was always good at sports — particularly developing his tennis skills to a high degree. He attended one very prestigious summer tennis camp — at Hilton Head, S.C., with tennis pro Dennis Van Der Meer. Peter aspired to work in the tennis field and for a time taught lessons at the Tulsa Southern Tennis Club. He moved to the West where prospects seemed better because of the year-round warm climate. When a tennis job did not work out he turned to construction, finding work in Santa Monica with Bay District Paving for a time and also in San Bernardino. Having friends In Houston, he went to work there on the building of the international airport for a year or so. He also had family friends in Las Vegas and spent about a year and a half working for the American Asphalt and Paving Co. as a heavy equipment operator and rock crusher in the building of a new housing development.

In 1993-94 Peter commuted to Drumright to take the courses leading to the CDL — commercial driver’s license, which he passed with flying colors. He had several other jobs too numerous to list, the last two of which were with North Central in Stillwater, building sidewalks, and with Kerns Construction Co.

In his last four or five years, in Stillwater, Peter revealed a new aptitude and interest, that of the general caregiving of older people. He worked for Elnor Ragan, well-known musician and string teacher as well as string instrument repairer. He provided a variety of services to Elnor (all under her supervision — she was very exacting) of yardwork, chauffeuring, shopping and even furniture finishing. Peter did a very professional job of finishing four oak chairs — again with Elnor’s supervision.

Ms. Ragan’s daughter Lenore wrote about Peter in her letter of condolence as follows: “I have so many good memories of him. We spent many hours together in trips to and from the Tulsa and OKC airports. He was always good company, and I enjoyed our conversations. And I am most grateful for his long relationship with Mom. She relied on him so much, and he was willing to assist her in whatever her task was. Peter was a good man.” She also added that: “We are saddened that he had such a life full of struggle.” His family never lost hope that he would succeed in overcoming the struggle and be able to enjoy the second part of his life joyous and free!

Peter also lived for a time at St. Frances of the Woods in Coyle assisting Father Jim Riggs as well as the groundskeepers in a voluntary capacity. It was suggested that Peter could learn about and become a beekeeper for the St. Frances community. On learning of Peter’s untimely death, Father Jim described Peter as a “golden, radiant spirit.”

Peter was a devoted son, helpful and solicitous, particularly to his mother.

Peter was preceded in death by his beloved brother Jon a little more than two years ago. Also preceding him in death were his grandparents, Henry Augustus and Beatrice E. (vanFleet) duBois and Jon and Oddny Hansina (Lilliendahl) Asgeirson; nine uncles, Allen duBois, John Jay duBois, Phillip duBois, Archie Asgeirson, George Asgeirson, Paul Asgeirson, Tom Borden, Bill Mavity and Skafti (Scotty) Borgford; and seven aunts, Thelma duBois Borden, Ellen Simison Asgeirson, Marjorie Innis Asgeirson, Gladys Brynjolfson Asgeirson, Hrefna (Edna) Asgeirson Borgford, Joan Asgeirson Parr and Marjorie duBois.

Peter is survived by his parents, Thora and Ron duBois of Stillwater, Okla.; two brothers, Paul Ronald duBois of Arlington, Va., and Marc Thorsten duBois, now of Stillwater; two uncles, David duBois and wife Pat of Coarsegold, Calif., and John (Jack) Parr of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; four aunts, Janne duBois Mavity, Miami, Fla., Beverly Kelly of California, Margo duBois of Reno, Nev., and Kay Asgeirson of Winnipeg; and many loving cousins, the closest to him being Louise and Kristin. Peter is also survived by his loyal and loving dog, Missy.

Peter will be dearly missed by his entire extended family in the United States, Canada and Iceland and by many friends.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to OCARTA (Oklahoma Citizen Advocates for Recovery and Treatment Association) 2808 N.W. 31st, Oklahoma City, OK, 73112. Our vision is that local communities demonstrate awareness, compassion and support for individuals affected by addiction. OCARTA’s mission is to empower recovering people and their families through physical, emotional and spiritual growth to make significant contributions to society.

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Inmate who fell in Payne County Jail dies at hospital

By Silas Allen, Stillwater NewsPress

STILLWATER, Okla. — A man who fell 12 feet in the Payne County Jail Monday died at 1:30 p.m. Friday, his father said.

The state medical examiner will perform an autopsy on Peter DuBois, 49, his father Ron DuBois said.

Sheriff R.B. Hauf has asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate.

Peter DuBois fell over a four-foot railing to a lower level in the jail sometime between 7 and 8 p.m. Monday, his mother Thora DuBois said Thursday. Ron DuBois said Thursday that he believes his son jumped to commit suicide. Hauf also said the death seems to have been a suicide.

Peter DuBois took methadone as a medication for opiate addiction.

Court records show Peter DuBois was convicted in May 2009 for attempting to obtain a controlled and dangerous substance by fraud.

He was in jail awaiting transfer to the Department of Corrections after having a suspended prison sentence revoked. His suspended sentence was revoked because he failed to show up at a drug treatment facility in Tulsa, but Ron DuBois said Thursday that Peter was in a car wreck while on the way to the facility.

Hauf and Payne County Jail Administrator Reese Lane said inmates whom jailers know to be suicidal are put on suicide watch.