The Gun Barrel City Council elected Dennis Baade, formerly the mayor pro tem, to fill out the term of former Mayor Jim Braswell who recently resigned.

Braswell, whose term would have ended in May 2016, resigned because of his wife's recently-revealed battle with lung cancer. Many residents and elected officials expressed regret about the city's loss of his leadership and concerns for him and his wife, Judy.

In his letter of resignation to the city, Braswell cited only family health reasons, but in a recent email to friends and associates he explained Mrs. Braswell was diagnosed with lung cancer and that she would be seeking aggressive treatment at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School Oncology Department.

The council appointed Rob Rea to the position of mayor pro tem.

The council will now be considering an appointee to fill out Baade's term in Place 4 on the west side of the city. Applications can be sent to Gun Barrel City Hall.

Baade, who was in his fourth term as a councilman, was due to term out in 2016, but he could run for mayor.

Rea, a new council member, will not be up for re-election until 2017.

Baade is pictured below.