Dates of birth and death uncertain
Stephen Franklin held retail jobs at Silverman’s and National T-Shirt. As manager of Bonnie and Clyde’s disco, he testified before the Lansing City Council in 1980 about police harassment of gay men at the nightclub. He later migrated to Texas. He died of complications from AIDS.
No known obituary.
July 10, 1961 – December 13, 1985
Raised in the small town of Ossineke, Roy Reinholz graduated from Alpena High School in 1980, earned his B.A. from James Madison College at Michigan State University in 1983, and later attended Hunter City College in New York. He died of complications from AIDS at age 24.
Alpena News, December 14, 1985
September 12, 1950 – May 24, 2016
A native of Detroit, Anne Birch graduated from East Catholic High School in 1968 and remained a resident of the city until the early 1980s. After moving to Florida, she had a 30-year career with the Water and Wastewater Engineering Division of Broward County.
February 14, 1973 – June 3, 2015
Self-described tech nerd, scuba diver, traveler, musician, artist, photographer, cook, and gardener, Heather Moana spent her early years in Frankenmuth before moving to Battle Creek, where she graduated from Lakeview High School in 1991. Following high school, she worked for the Battle Creek Enquirer and, in 2005, relocated to California.
February 8, 1960 – June 23, 2015
Rex Allen Weaver grew up in Lansing, where he became a regular in his late teens at Trammpps. After moving to Atlanta, he enjoyed a long career as a hair stylist, most recently at the DASS Salon and Spa.
February 11, 1965 – March 4, 1993
Northville native Mark Jerome moved to Washington after graduating high school and worked as a waiter in numerous D.C. restaurants. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 28.
April 17, 1927 – April 18, 1986
Raised as James Dunlap, Marion Dunlap Whitman worked as a sewing machine operator in the late 1950s and was one of numerous crossing-dressing African-American Detroiters entrapped on the streets by undercover vice. After serving 18 months in the State Prison of Southern Michigan, she moved to San Francisco.
September 3, 1931 – December 26, 2007
A native of Allegan, Marietta “Polly” Huitt earned her B.S. and M.A. from Western Michigan University and taught at Nazareth College and in the Kalamazoo Public Schools. She and her life partner June Peppas later operated the JP Printing Company in Allegan before retiring to Florida in 1990.
November 26, 1924 – October 4, 1996
Born in Traverse City, Alma Routsong served in the WAVES during World War II and graduated from Michigan State University. After moving to New York City, she authored the pioneering novel Patience and Sarah under the pen name Isabel Miller.
Gay Community News, Winter 1996
May 5, 1940 – October 31, 2010
Born in Ferndale, Kathryn Avis Kay earned a degree in music literature from the University of Michigan, pursued a career in marketing and advertising, and became an active part of the lesbian and feminist community in Cleveland, Ohio.
Lesbian Connection, March/April 2011
Michigan LGBTQ Remember 