August 26, 1928 – April 12, 2013
Born in Escanaba, William James Hirn earned his Bachelor’s from Western Michigan University and did his graduate studies at the University of Michigan. After teaching in Muskegon and Ann Arbor, he moved to New York State, where he was on the early faculty of Rockland Community College. Hirn and his life partner of 48 years Joseph Rogers retired to Spain and later lived in Houston and Las Vegas.
May 21, 1948 – September 12, 2013
A graduate of the University of Michigan, Adrian Vincent practiced law in East Lansing and Chicago. As a longtime resident of Douglas, He was involved with the Saugatuck/Douglas Historical Society and enjoyed skiing, sailing, and cycling. Vincent was survived by his partner Thomas Staniszewski.
November 14, 1975 – January 6, 2014
Christopher Neumann of Birmingham grew up in Grosse Pointe, attended Grosse Pointe High School, and attended the University of Michigan. He was vice president of the Detroit public relations firm Weber Shandwick. Nuemann and his life partner Todd Lloyd lost their lives in a single-engine plane crash.
April 17, 1934 – January 31, 2010
A native of Parkersburg, West Virginia, Suzanne “Suzie” Dowden majored in physical education at Miami University of Ohio and earned her Master’s from the University of Michigan in 1966. She taught at Eastern Michigan University and had a varied career of teaching, counseling, and coaching in Detroit, Ferndale, and Kalkaska. Dowden lived in Traverse City with her partner of 42 years Connie Riopelle.
January 13, 1964 – October 25, 1995
Jeffry Florian Kucharski of Dearborn earned a piano scholarship to Wayne State University. He later received a B.A. in Russian Studies from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from the Wayne State Law School. Kucharski worked as helpline coordinator at Affirmations Community Center and enjoyed traveling with his partner of 12 years Tom Wilczak. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 31.
May 24, 1939 – July 20, 2003
Thomas Weier was 20 at the time of his arrest on felony charges in January 1960 in a crackdown on homosexual activity on campus at the University of Michigan. Later a noted psychiatrist, he was employed at the Mayo clinic for thirty years, and then served as medical director for the Pride Institute. Weier was survived by a daughter and son, an ex-wife, and his partner Kee Paisansinsup.
February 3, 1938 – June 28, 2011
At age 21, Charles Casper was among nearly three dozen men entrapped by police in a crackdown on homosexual activity at the University of Michigan in late 1959 and early 1960. He earned his B.A. at UM and went on to receive a J.D. at the University of Pennsylvania. As an attorney, Casper practiced law in his hometown of LaGrange, Illinois.
April 30, 1924 – October 31, 1989
Navy veteran and 1954 University of Michigan graduate Shearon Dudley was a 36-year-old Ypsilanti resident when he was charged in November 1959 with attempting to procure gross indecency as part of an undercover police crackdown on homosexual activity at UM. Married with six children, he had a career in marine biology and later became a minister in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Obituary unknown
October 18, 1938 – November 3, 2003
Bryant Fillion was a 21-year-old undergrad when he was arrested in January 1960 in a crackdown on homosexual activity at the University of Michigan. He was allowed to complete his B.A. at UM and later earned degrees from Long Island University and Florida State. became a professor of education at Wichita State University. Fillion was survived by his daughters and former wife.
May 8, 1905 – July 10, 1989
A native of Connecticut, Karl Henry Reichenbach earned his graduate degree in history at Yale in 1929 and was assistant professor at the University of Michigan, teaching there for 44 years. During the 1950s, he was part of an Ann Arbor gay crowd that attended parties hosted by Henry Van Dyke. As his “drag” name at such events, Reichenbach was known as “Frieda.”
Ann Arbor News, July 12, 1989
Michigan LGBTQ Remember 