February 20, 1931 – August 22, 2015
Grand Rapids resident Dorace “Dorie” Johnson graduated from the Blodgett Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1950 and had a long career as an RN. She and her life partner Cindy Gould were active in the Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ.
November 3, 1924 – November 26, 2000
Born in Detroit, Leonard Lippert was raised in Essex, Ontario and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. Following a long career with Manufacturer’s Bank, Lippert and his life partner operated the Hayloft on Greenfield in Detroit from 1981 to 1997.
February 23, 1958 – August 11, 1990
Kraig Debus grew up in Warren and earned his B.A. in advertising in 1981 from Michigan State University, where he served on the staff of the State News. After graduation, Debus moved to Chicago. He died of complications from AIDS at age 32.
Chicago Tribune, August 14, 1990
November 8, 1957 – July 9, 1988
A native of Orange County, California, Michael Raymond Shuty attended Michigan State University in the late 1970s and later moved to Houston. He died of complications from AIDS at age 30.
March 27, 1957 – December 16, 1988
Wade Leroy Keas grew up in the town of Ravenna and became active in the Gay/Lesbian Council while a student at Michigan State University. He later lived in Austin, Texas, where he worked in the state attorney general’s office. He died from a drug overdose and of complications from AIDS at age 33.
June 1, 1953 – October 15, 1987
Originally from Illinois, Michael Bennett earned a B.A. in linguistics from Michigan State University in 1974 and an M.A. in linguistics from MSU in 1978. At the time of his death, he was employed with the campus libraries. He died of complications from AIDS at age 34.
No known obituary.
August 18, 1960 – August 25, 1987
From Northbrook, Illinois, Scott Flack received his B.A. in political science from Michigan State University in 1982 and earned his law degree from Rutgers University Law School in Camden in 1985. He later worked as an AIDS lobbyist for a firm in Washington, DC. He died of complications from AIDS at age 27.
March 17, 1948 – July 31, 1987
A native of New York, Jim O’Connell earned his B.S. in horticulture from Michigan State University in 1978. He later worked as a computer manager for MSU. He died of complications from AIDS at age 39.
No known obituary.
August 25, 1952 – May 18, 1987
Born in Ann Arbor, Ben Lowery graduated from Dundee High School in 1970 and earned his Bachelor’s in telecommunications from Michigan State University in 1980. He taught school in New Mexico before returning to Michigan to work in his father’s construction business. He died of complications from AIDS at age 34.
July 22, 1943 – August 5, 1985
William John Mathieson grew up in Grove City, Pennsylvania and attended graduate school at Michigan State University where he earned a Master’s in Spanish in 1967. He later worked as an instructor at San Francisco Community College. He died of complications from AIDS at age 42.
No known obituary.
Michigan LGBTQ Remember 