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WINDY CITY TIMES
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Equality Michigan co-founder Dr. Henry Messer dies
From a news release
2014-02-18
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This article shared 2716 times since Tue Feb 18, 2014
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DETROIT — Equality Michigan is confirming the death of Dr. Henry Messer, who passed away peacefully this morning around 5am at the age of 86 in his Dearborn Heights, Michigan home. His partner of 63 years, Carl House, as well as close friends were with him at the time of his passing. A memorial service will be held for Dr. Messer in the spring and Equality Michigan will be memorializing him at their Annual Dinner this upcoming Saturday evening at Motor City Casino.
Dr. Messer was one of the first brain surgeons in the United States and a lifelong LGBT advocate beginning with his discharge from the United States Air Force during World War II for being an openly gay man and starting a relationship with Mr. House, who was serving in the Army at that time. He went on to become a member of the Mattachine Society and participated in the Stonewall Riots. After relocating to Michigan in the 1970s, Messer and House became involved with the Michigan Organization for Human Rights ( MOHR ). He played a pivotal role in transforming MOHR to Triangle Foundation in the early 1990s.
Equality Michigan, the statewide anti-violence and advocacy organization serving Michigan's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and HIV communities, was formed in 2010 as the result of a merger between Michigan Equality and Triangle Foundation, which Dr. Messer helped co-found in 1991. He remained an active supporter and volunteer for the organization until his passing.
Equality Michigan will be creating an online memorial at: www.equalitymi.org/henry .
Statement by Emily Dievendorf, Executive Director, Equality Michigan:
"The day of my visit to say goodbye, I promised Henry that we, the equality activists of the now, would take good care of things for him. He said, "I know you will." That is a promise we must keep to Henry and to all those who fought openly and for so long before us. Henry Messer did as he set out to do and in doing so left us with a battle we can win for the right side of history so that our children can only love and not fight to. Henry and Carl pressed on without the benefit of a many swift victories to fuel them. Henry and Carl could press on under the weight of anti-LGBT oppression, laughing and traveling and telling jokes that could make the youngest and wittiest among us blush, because their fuel for change and life was each other. We should all be so lucky."
Statement by Gregory Varnum, Director of External Relations, Equality Michigan:
"Our movement is built on the shoulders of giants. Our movement has now lost one of our quiet giants, and Equality Michigan and I have lost a dear friend and mentor. Henry Messer saw equality as more than a buzzword or illusive goal - he saw it as an inevitable future for our society. While the giant has been relieved from his post, his legacy and vision stand strong in his place."
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This article shared 2716 times since Tue Feb 18, 2014
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