The Washington Blade’s great veteran reporter and my friend Lou Chibbaro did a terrific job writing the obituary for Lily Vincenz last month. Vincenz was a true “gay pioneer” who marched in picket lines in front of the White House in the mid-1960s, when it was definitely a bold and courageous act. She did it with, among others, the late Frank Kameny. Lou asked a number of area gay activists to write something in memory of Lili, and I penned the following, which was published in this week’s Blade:
From Nicholas F. Benton, founder-editor, Falls Church News-Press (current) and co-founder Berkeley. Calif. Gay Liberation Front, 1971:
“I got to know Lilli when her partner, Nancy Davis, came to work for my newspaper in the early 2000s. Both were beyond charming, and were frequent attendees at parties I held at my home, always invited to play the fiddle (Lilli) and read captivating short stories of days in Egypt or, then,Yugoslavia (Nancy). I had the honor of being host for their attendance, along with Frank Kameny, at the 2006 HRC National Dinner in Washington, D.C. Truly lovely, humble and dedicated people.”