Brave are the brothers and sisters who stood in solidarity; who bore the burdens of braving homophobia that we might take our place in history.

These individuals have passed away, but their memory and contribution to the GLBT community will not be forgotten. Omissions are not intentional. Submissions, additions, and corrections are always welcome. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Crafts, John Alan

John Allan Crafts

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.

Crosskey, Terrence

d. February 16, 1998

Openly gay West Orange High school senior Terrence Crosskey killed himself by jumping from the roof of an Orlando area hospital. He was 17. The gay teen had been asked to leave his family home and was repeatedly taunted and harrassed at his school. "He was desparate for inclusion" said his friend Lauren English, then 16.

Curtis, Joe

d. August 23, 1997 One of the founders of the Catholic Gay and Lesbian Ministry Force and a member of Dignity/Orlando.

Davidson, John

John Davidson d. Aug. 7, 2007 Respiratory therapist & volunteer

Dean, Debbie

d. March 31, 2008

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.

Dean, Ron

Dell, Tim

Tim Dell was from Ottumwa, Iowa. He passed sometime in 1992. Tim was a real character with a pretty sharp witt. He was often the center of attention at a party. Tim was a server at a couple of different restaurants while he was in Orlando. He servied in the Navy and was discharged because he was gay. He was a medical corpsman. He was a member of the Orange Blossom Bowling Association.

Director, Laurence "Larry" S.

Laurence “Larry” S. Director d. May 5, 1995 Larry was a retired speech pathologist for the Orange County School System, and volunteered for Hope & Help Center and GLCS. A member of Temple Israel and the Florida Language, Speech and Hearing Association, Larry also dabbled in acting with the Out & About Books troupe in “ A Murder is Announced.”

Duckworth, David Wayne

b. 5/29/1960 d. 7/22/2003 David was an I.T. Customer Service Director who used his technical skills to help small gay businesses. He enjoyed gardening and exchanging flower seeds with people across the world.

Dumas, Roger

Roger Dumas, a scenic director noted for his work in Central Florida theater, opera, and ballet died after a long illness. He was 43. Dumas was employed as a scenic designer for Tupperware Home Parties, and also worked extensively as a free-lance designer for area arts groups. He attended the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota and received a master of fine arts degree in painting and sculpting from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He was a native of Morrisville, VT and moved to Orlando in 1952.

Duncan, Craig

Was a member of the Orange Blossom Bowling Association.

Earp, Dee

Dee Earp d. Aug. 10, 1999 Owner of Kissimmee Florist and generous contributor to many local gay and lesbian causes and charities

Edlin, Sr., Michael

Edwards, Ginny

An actress and volunteer with Act Out Theater, Ginny worked at Out & About Books and was active with Joy MCC and many other gay & lesbian organizations.

Ehrenreich, Kimball Clark

d. July 18, 1997

Elorenta, Roy

Ericson, Paul

1958 - 1992

Escribano, Joe

d. 3/20/1996

Eubanks, Ron

Was a member of the Orange Blossom Bowling Association.

Eubanks, Rodney Wayne

Rodney Wayne Eubanks d. Jan. 2, 1997 Computer operator for Orange County and Navy Veteran

Farmer, Barry

Barry Farmer

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.

Faughn, Joe-Hal

d. Oct. 18, 2000 Interior decorator and philanthropist.

Fellows, James E.

James E. Fellows d. Oct. 1, 1996 Member of Joy MCC

Ferguson, David M.

David M. Ferguson d. Dec. 28, 1999

Fiorella, Robert

Font, Alvaro G.

d. June 7, 1996

Frank, Lu

Galm, Chris

Gamelin, Michel Jay

Michel Jay Gamelin

Age 47, Died Saturday June 11. 1994

Gardner, David A.

David A. Gardner d. June 18, 1995 Painter and photographer whose work is the Maitland Arts Center permanent collection

Garrett, John

John Garrett d. Jan. 21, 1999 Respected member and benefactor of Joy MCC and MCC Tampa

Gasti, Rafael

d. July 26, 1997

RAFAEL HARRIS GASTI, 34, Orlando, died Saturday, July 26 of injuries suffered in an automobile accident. Mr. Gasti was a social worker. Born in Winter Park, he was a lifelong resident of Central Florida. He was a member of AMIGO, Maitland. He was a member of the Mental Health Association of Central Florida.

Gatton, Joe

Joe Gatton b. Sept. 27, 1958 d. Sept. 14, 2003 Co-Owner of Twisted Palms

Ghiotto, Robert David

Robert David Ghiotto d. March 7, 1995 Food and beverage manager for Norwegian Caribbean Cruise Line, Ghiotto was also a lay minister at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, CENTAUR, and Hospice of Central Florida. Bob was also federal housing grant funding coordinator for CENTAUR.

Giammearse, Bill

Gibson, Daniel Wayne

Daniel Wayne Gibson d. Feb. 15, 1996

Gill, Thomas S.

d. June 7,1996

Gilmore, Bryan W.

Bryan W. Gilmore d. Oct. 14, 2004 An employee of MyOptics and a member of the Orange Blossom Bowling Association

Gindlesperger, Blair

Blair Gindlesperger d. Sept. 12, 1998 Nursery Manager at Land of Bromeliads and a Marine Corps veteran

Goehring, Kevin Scott

Kevin Scott Goehring d. Sept. 12, 1996 Artist and owner of Square One International Art Studio

Goyette, Cherie

Cherie Goyette 1940 - 2006

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.

Greene, Ronald Gary

Ronald Gary Greene d. July 20, 1995 An Air Force Veteran of the Vietnam War, Ronald was owner and vice-president of Crown Financial Insurance Services and a member of Joy MCC.

Gumina, Patrick J.

Gunn, Reverand Mary Jo

d. December 26, 1996

Mary Jo Gunn, who started an AIDS ministry in Orlando in the early days of the deadly disease, died the day after Christmas from complications of cancer. The Chuluota woman was 57. The ministry began in 1983 at a time when many AIDS patients were ostracized and disowned by their families. In the late 1980s, Mary Jo Gunn founded and pastored the Family That Cares Church, a nondenominational Christian church in Orlando. Gunn received the Orlando Regional Pride Community Service Award for her work in the gay community.

Hamilton, Geraldine "Gerry"

July 23, 1947 - March 3, 2013

In her 65 years on Earth, Geraldine "Gerry" Hamilton was given plenty of reason to be angry. Born in Alabama in 1947, she lost both her parents before she was 10. With no one to care for her, she landed in an orphanage and was separated from her siblings. From there, it was on to a foster family that abused her. As an adult, her sister was murdered and the killer was never caught. A condo fire destroyed all her belongings. A stroke left her unable to work. Yet Hamilton, called "Aunt Dean" by a passel of grand nieces and nephews, moved through life with kindness and a tendency to worry first about the people around her. She grew tough but never hard. "She was such a giving person," said Hamilton's nephew Mark Braxton. "She made you feel like the most important person in the world." Hamilton, a Central Florida resident for three decades, died March 3 from lung cancer and pneumonia. Kim Newton met Hamilton in the early 1980s after Hamilton moved from the Miami area to Orlando. She said Hamilton was the friend who always wanted to help you with projects or errands. "If you were painting the house, she'd be there," Newton said. "She'd teach you." Hamilton, a former Marine, was active in local Democratic politics, working with the Rainbow Democratic Club and a handful of campaigns. She loved the Orlando Gay Chorus, the Orlando Magic, the Orlando Miracle and the Miami Dolphins. She was funny, and a little shy, said Newton, until you put a clipboard in her hand. "She'd just march right up to strangers to collect signatures," Newton said. "She wasn't afraid." Maybe because she'd been through so much. As a lesbian, Hamilton helped raise the son of her former partner. He was just a baby when the women met, and friends say she quickly became his "second mom." She was there for most of his life there to help with rehab, teaching him to walk and talk again, after the boy was hit by a car. And he was there Monday, speaking at a memorial service in Bushnell for his second mom. "He credited her with making him who he is today," said Carol Bartsch, a friend who knew Hamilton for 30 years. "She would have been so pleased." Bartsch said Hamilton, who worked for years in hotel and resort-property management, had a natural inclination to mother the people around her. When her ex-partner's mother became sick, Hamilton took care of her. When an older neighbor in Hamilton's development began having personal problems, she would feed him. Bartsch said it was as if Hamilton wanted to ensure everyone else had it easier than she did. "She told me once, 'If I'm not taking care of someone, I don't know what to do with myself,'" Bartsch said.

Hannah, Sue Miniver

Sue Miniver Hannah 1945 - 2007

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.

Hansen, Edward M.

Edward M. Hansen d. Dec. 5, 1998

Harper, Wallace G. "Wally"

January 12, 1939 – August 5, 2012

Wallace G. Harper retired from the Walt Disney Company in 1999. He was manager of Walt Disney World’s Audio Visual Production department for 20 years. Wally loved to travel and was an avid collector of Southwestern art. Some of his collection was displayed in art museums in the Central Florida area. He was a longtime volunteer and supporter of the arts. He was an adjunct professor at Valencia Community College. He often performed in local productions including “The King and I”, “West Side Story”, and “Into the Woods”.

Hart, Vaughn

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.

Hartung, Robert

Robert Hartung d. Jan. 20, 2000