Wall of Remembrance
These individuals have passed away, but their memory and contribution to the GLBT community will not be forgotten. Submissions are always welcome.
Arbogast de Hubert-Miller, Brian
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Brian was one of the organizers of the 1st Gay Pride Parade in Orlando. He also worked with dozens of other local, national and international gay rights groups, among which were CFUAD (Central Floridians United Against Discrimination), GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), and ILGA (International Lesbian and Gay Alliance).
Submitted by:
Askey, Samantha
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
I had the pleasure of meeting and befriending Anne Askey while I was in college and finishing up a degree in Psychology. Part of the program at UCF included a "field work" component which is very similar to an internship. My field work position was at Orlando's Hope & Help Center which is an AIDS Service Organization (ASO) Since my emphasis was "clinical" I was assigned to work with Hope & Help's Director of Client Services Michael Pecko. This was one of the most valuable experiences of my life and many of my closest friends to this day I had the good fortune of meeting while there. It was there that I met Anne Askey - a young lady with a 3 year old child. Anne was a client of Hope & Help but she was just as much a volunteer and asset to the agency. She and her daughter "Sam" regularly attended the afternoon group sessions. They were fixtures at the agency. Anne had AIDS as did her husband John. Their baby Sam was born HIV positive. Ann & John both died when Sam was very young and Sam was then cared for by her Grandparents John & Solfrid Askey with the very watchful and nurturing eye of her Aunt Beth. Michael Pecko remained a guardian angel to Sam her whole life.
Rai and I join many others in our community in offering our condolences to the Askey - VanKirk family.
As a means of processing this loss and paying tribute to Sam I wrote the following:
The Reluctant Pioneer
Born into a world where AIDS was always spoken
The "silent killer" was not silent in your home
The storm came and did much damage and never left
You never knew a life without AIDS
Blame and resentment were not in your vocabulary
You were loved by many - both currently with us and those who have long since passed
Even while struggling with your own health complications you helped others
Like your parents - you lead by example and by love and compassion
You were one of the first "AIDS babies" and always "our Sam"
You will never know how many lives you touched and brightened
We are all better for having known you
[i]Submitted by Jeff Horn[/i]
Submitted by:Jeff Horn
Bailey, Gary
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Gary was a co-owner of Tomes & Treasures in Tampa and Out & About Books in Orlando. Gary was a generous contributor to AIDS Resource Alliance, CENTAUR, Hope & Help and many more GLBT organizations in Tampa and Orlando. When the Names Project Quilt came to Tampa in the late 1980s, their truck broke down and when all the mechanics refused to work on the vehicle, Gary outed himself to his fellow mechanics and made all the repairs at cost.
Submitted by:
Baker, Michael Kenneth "Shorty"
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Michael Kenneth “Shorty” Baker d. Dec. 23, 2007
Submitted by:
Brock, James T.
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
In the fall of 1983, the Reverand James T. "Jimmy" Brock, former pastor of Blessed Redeemer MCC Atlanta, was called as Pastor of Joy MCC Orlando. Althought relatively new to the fellowship, he had more than 30 years of pastoral experience in Southern Baptist churches. Reverand Brock was able to aritculate the church's vision and oversaw a time of growth at Joy MCC Orlando. On May 20, 1998, Reverand Brock died of a heart attack.
Submitted by:
Brownfield, Virgil
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
VIRGIL L. BROWNFIELD b. Sept. 7, 1945 d. Nov. 27, 1998. Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Virgil was a decorated Navy Veteran who served during the Vietnam War. He worked for the US Post Office for 35 years.
Submitted by:
Bulger, Gerald Ray "Jerry"
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Gerald Ray "Jerry" Bulger. Jerry was a REALTOR and the Licensed Real Estate Broker of BULGER REALTY, a company he formed where GLBT agents would have the freedom and support they deserve in order to achieve success in the real estate industry. Because he was aware of discrimination against GLBT persons, Jerry assembled a network of GLBT mortgage brokers and real estate agents who were committed to serving its community in obtaining property. Jerry's real estate advertisements always promoted "Gay Pride of Ownership." Jerry was the first gay person in Central Florida to openly advertise in a publication with his name, telephone number and photograph.
Submitted by:
Bullock III, Burd
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
WFTV-Channel 9 weatherman and entertainment reporter Burd Bullock passed away on Monday March 16, 1993 at the age of 38. His service was held at St. James Cathedral. Officiating was Reverend Jimmy Brock of Joy MCC stated "He was a good man". Jackie Jones sang "Amazing Grace" and Manny Luster sang "His Eye on the Sparrow". The Orlando Gay Chorus sang "Love Don't Need a Reason". He had joined WFTV in 1977 after moving here from Louisville Kentucky.
Submitted by:
Cerowsky, Andrew
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Born in Slovenia, Andrew was the co-owner of Studz Bar and a talented men’s clothing designer with his own label named Ragazzi.
Submitted by:
Connor, Robert Kenneth
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Robert Kenneth Connor
Submitted by:
Crafts, John Alan
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
John Allan Crafts was a volunteer counselor and lecturer for CENTAUR, Hope and Help Center and AIDS Resource Alliance, John was a flutist and performed in numerous AIDS fundraising events, including the International AIDS Awareness Day.
Submitted by:
Dean, Debbie
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 2008-03-31
Debbie began her career in theater as an actor, dancer and singer. In the mid 1990s, Dean started working as a stage manager for the Civic Theatre of Central Florida, managing production teams that included actors, designers and backstage crews. When the Civic Theatre partnered with UCF and became the Orlando Repertory Theatre in 2000, she became the full-time box-office manager and continued to manage shows for Orlando Repertory and other local theaters.
Submitted by:
Farmer, Barry
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Barry Farmer was a founding member of Bears of Central Florida and a talented stage designer responsible for many of the inventive Bear Bust stage sets.
Submitted by:
Faughn, Joe-Hal
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
d. Oct. 18, 2000 Interior decorator and philanthropist.
Submitted by:
Gamelin, Michel Jay
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Age 47, Died Saturday June 11. 1994
Submitted by:
Goyette, Cherie
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Cherie Goyette was one of the originators of the Full Moon Parties - a women's potluck gathering that later became Loving Committed Network (LCN) where she was one its founding members. LCN published the LCN Express, a monthly newsletter, and was the premier organization representing the interests of lesbian women in Central Florida.
Submitted by:
Hannah, Sue Miniver
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
HANNAH, MINIVER SUE, 62, of Orlando, died on Sunday, February 4, 2007. Sue moved to Orlando in 1958. She was a pioneer in the gay and lesbian community. In 1983, she opened the first women's bar in Orlando, and named it "Faces". Over the years she has sponsored numerous benefits to support AIDS and cancer victims in the gay and lesbian community. She knew no stranger. Her heart and home was always open to anyone in need. She was a caregiver, a mom, a best friend and a great sister. She was loved by all and will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her brother, Lowell E. Waldrop, sister-in-law, Wanda J Waldrop, brother, John Waldrop III, nephews, Lowell E Waldrop Jr., and Gary L. Waldrop, great nephews, Justin, Logan Korey and great niece, Kayla Waldrop. In lieu of flowers the family request donations to be made to Vitas Hospice Care, Manor Care, 2075 Loch Lomond Dr, Winter Park Fl 32792 ATTN: Vitas.
Submitted by:
Hart, Vaughn
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
March 9, 1948 -0 - August 8, 1992 Vaughn worked at the Parliament House for 24 years before his death. He was loved by all who knew him.
Submitted by:
Hedrick, James E.
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
b. 2/21/1949 d. 12/26/1992 GLCS Treasurer and Board member, Jim also formed the organization Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Roman Catholics of Central Florida, better known as Dignity/Orlando.
Submitted by:
Hemric, Guy
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
d. 1/10/1993 Guy Hemric wrote lyrics for many of the “beach movies” popular in the 1960s and wrote a song that became a number one recording for Petula Clark. Later an administrative assistant for the Florida Symphony Orchestra, Hemric wrote lyrics for Season of Romance that was performed at a number of symphony events. After leaving FSO, he continued writing songs and worked on film projects with composer Richard Loring and screenwriter Louis Garfinkle.
Submitted by:
Henry, Fred Roy
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
d. Sept. 27, 1993
Submitted by:
Hepler, Alan
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Alan Hepler was an active bowler in the Orange Blossom Bowling Association, He was born in Springdale, Arkansas and was a landscape designer.
Submitted by:
Hodge, Charles Michael
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Michael C. Hodge, owner of the Parliament House, was one of the greatest supporters of gay and lesbian life that Orlando has ever had. His aid to non-profit groups and all other gay and lesbian organizations was legendary. He gave hope and encouragement constantly to individuals who needed help, as well as to the groups that we all turn to for socializing, entertainment, and most importantly for medical assistance. In the early days of AIDS, Michael was well known for reaching into his deep pockets to help people, whether it was to pay overdue rent of electric bills.
Michael was one of 13 children from his Tennessee family. He was generous to a fault. He provided what he could to those in need. Michael, along with his partner Bill Miller, opened the Diamond Head nightclub in Orlando in the early seventies until 1975 when they took over the Parliament House Motor Lodge and converted it to a gay resort.
Submitted by:
Huff, Floyd E.
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Floyd E. Huff was treasurer of the Orange Blossom Bowling Association (OBBA)when he died shortly after celebrating his 28th birthday. He was survived by his companion Jerry Roese, his sister Sheila and her companion Cynthia, his mother Donna, his brother Steve and Steven's friend Mark.
Submitted by:
Hummer, Chuck
Date of Birth: 0000-00-00
Date of Death: 0000-00-00
Charles "Chuck" W. Hummer, III, was born and raised in the Republic of Panama where his father and mother worked for the Panama Canal. He was educated in the Panama Canal Zone school system and graduated from Balboa High School in 1980. He was raised in a completely bicultural American/Panamanian society. He was fluent in English and Spanish and conversant in French, Italian and Portuguese. He attended Northern Virginia Community College and graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. with a BS in International Affairs. He moved to Orlando in 1987 where he filed one of the first successful equal opportunity law suits because he was fired when his employer learned that he was HIV positive.
In 1998 he migrated from client to the first Executive Director of the newly formed Hope and Help Center, an AIDS service organization in Orlando. At the beginning the Center provided such mundane services as lists of dentists, physicians, barbers and other personal care professionals that would take HIV positive and AIDS patients. The Center also provided support groups for the various populations that formed communities of interest and were HIV positive or had AIDS. He led the Center from its humble beginnings in the basement of a Winter Park Church to offices at the Unitarian Church on East Robinson Street, to the larger facilities on Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando, and finally to its own building in Winter Park where it is still headquartered.
Chuck saw the Center grow from a relatively simple volunteer-manned organization to a full service organization with a large paid staff which provided a wide spectrum of services at its main offices as well as a growing number of satellite offices in Osceola and Seminole Counties. Premier AIDS related events such as the Strictly Positive Seminars, Headdress Ball, and youth educational summits marked some of the major accomplishments made while Chuck was a leading AIDS activist in Central Florida. His philosophy was that he was living with HIV not dying from AIDS. He lived his life as an example to all. The Hope and Help Center honors Chuck's memory with its annual Chuck Hummer, III Visionary Award.
Submitted by:
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