February 16, 1946 – June 9, 1990
Valedictorian of his class at Sacred Heart High School in Dearborn, Lawrence Gilbert “Larry” Glover earned his B.A. and M.A. at the University of Michigan. As a founding member of the Ann Arbor Gay Liberation Front, he was interviewed by the Ann Arbor Argus just two months after the group formed in March 1970. Glover later moved to San Francisco. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 44.
February 3, 1938 – December 31, 2022
Violet Betty “Vy” Reed graduated with the class of 1955 from Dearborn High School. She pursued a career in education, earning her B.A. from Western Michigan University and M.A. from Michigan State, then working as a teacher and counselor in Roseville. She found community in the 1960s at Fred’s Bar and later as a member and facilitator of Silver Foxes and the Senior Koffee Klatch at Affirmations.
November 28, 1965 – August 21, 2022
Dearborn native PJ Redbird Two Ravens of Ypsilanti graduated from the University of Michigan in 1990 and earned an MSW from Eastern Michigan University in 1999. He worked at U-M as a sleep technician and an HIV/AIDS social worker. He also formed the group Gender Explorers and volunteered with HARC. Two Ravens was preceded in death by his fiancé Amy Chesbro and was survived by his partner Jay.
September 17, 1952 – November 2, 1996
Detroit resident Craig Economy grew up in Dearborn, attended Dearborn High School, and pursued studies in Vermont and Arizona. On returning to Michigan, he worked as a popular hairdresser at Jacobsen’s and other salons. A longtime survivor of HIV, Economy was active in Friends Alliance, the AIDS Interfaith Network, and other organizations. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 47.
March 18, 1943 – August 16, 1990
Born in Dearborn and a graduate of Fordson High School, Sandino “Sandy” Ciccarelli established Sandino’s Flowers in Redford with business partner Ron Huddleston in the mid-1960s. Together with Keith Foster, Ciccarelli opened the Timesquare dance club in downtown Detroit in 1989. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 47.
July 15, 1968 – February 4, 1996
AIDS activist Steven Martin Korzetz graduated from Anderson High School in Southgate. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s in business from Wayne State University and later worked in the hotel industry in Dearborn. Given six months to live in 1992, Korzetz left his job and traveled to more than 40 countries. He became involved in Wellness Networks as well. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 27.
Detroit Free Press, February 7, 1995
July 23, 1953 – May 1, 2019
Warren resident Chrissy Surewater attended Fordson High School in Dearborn, studied at Rochester College in Rochester, and worked at Precision Imagery and as a photographer for Ford Motor Company. She was also a longtime member of the Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit, for three years serving as office administrator. Surewater was survived by her beloved fiancé Michelle Fox-Phillips.
January 6, 1958 – August 16, 1993
Ernie Lee was born and grew up in Flint. He later moved to Dearborn, tended bar at the Hayloft Saloon and the Crystal Peacock in Detroit, and sang with the Detroit Together Men’s Chorus. With the death of his lover Jerry in 1989, Lee moved to Chicago, where he became active with the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power and lived with his companion Gregg. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 35.
December 13, 1957 – May 9, 2000
The owner and operator of Boomers Deli, Carol Jane Newberg was a 1976 graduate of Dearborn High School and went on to become one of Royal Oak’s most beloved business women. Through the last year and a half of her life, as she battled cancer, Newberg was cared for by her close-knit circle of friends. She was survived by her partner Gail Green.
February 3, 1938 – April 4, 2015
Brian Vincent Michael Sullivan of Dearborn was born in the Bronx and lived in New York through high school. He earned his Bachelor’s from Mercy College, served three years in the U.S. Army, and later pursued a Master’s in counseling from Wayne State University to become an addiction therapist. Sullivan was survived by Robert Curtis, his life partner of 48 years.
Michigan LGBTQ Remember 