We miss you Larry...

On May 13, 2008, the community lost retired Illinois State Rep. Larry McKeon when he passed away from a stroke (pictured above with State Reps Sara Feigenholtz and Julie Hamos.)

Today would have been Larry’s 64th birthday.

Occasionally, Larry’s birthday fell on the same day as the Chicago Pride Parade, and Larry joked that 500,000 people would come to his birthday party. In honor of Larry, sing along to “When I’m 64”, and take a look at the book of memorial letters from national and local political figures.

PDF of the memorial book

Flash of the memorial book

When I’m 64 via You Tube

Chicago Memorial Celebration for Larry McKeon - this Saturday!

Hope to see you there.

Please Join Us To Remember & Celebrate the Life of Our Friend

LARRY McKEON

Saturday, June 14, 2008

11:00 a.m.

Truman College
Community Room
1145 W. Wilson Ave.
Chicago

All Are Welcome
Casual Attire - RSVP is not required, but is appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Ravenswood Bank
McKeon Memorial Community Fund
2300 W. Lawrence Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625

For more information or to RSVP Contact: McKeonFriends@gmail.com

Chicago Memorial for Larry McKeon

Please Join Us To Remember & Celebrate the Life of Our Friend

LARRY McKEON

Saturday, June 14, 2008

11:00 a.m.

Truman College

Community Room

1145 W. Wilson Ave.

Chicago, Illinois

All Are Welcome

Casual Attire - RSVP is not required, but is appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Ravenswood Bank

McKeon Memorial Community Fund

2300 W. Lawrence Ave.

Chicago, IL 60625

For more information or to RSVP Contact: McKeonFriends@gmail.com

We Celebrate the Life of the Honorable Larry McKeon

Illinois’ HIV/AIDS community suffered a sudden and tragic loss today as word came of the passing of longtime advocate and former Illinois General Assembly member Larry McKeon.

McKeon made history as the first openly gay member of the Illinois General Assembly and the first openly HIV positive legislator in Illinois, and served from 1996 and retired in 2007.. LifeLube is especially grateful for Larry’s longtime friendship and leadership on HIV and healthcare policy.

The Chicago Democrat was perhaps best known for working to expand the state's anti-discrimination law to protect gays and lesbians. A former police officer, McKeon had also served as the city of Chicago's liaison to the gay community.

Representative Barbara Flynn Currie says McKeon died of a stroke Tuesday night. He was 63.

His passion and commitment to the fight will be sorely missed by us and many, many more...

Information on a memorial and other details will be posted here as they become available.

Illinois Gay Rights Pioneer Larry McKeon Receives Foundation Grant For Four Decades of Activism, Public Service

[way to go Larry! LifeLube loves ya!!!]

The Stonewall Awards Honor
Heroes of LGBT Rights Movement

Chicago, Oct. 24, 2007—Illinois activist Larry McKeon has been named the recipient of the 2007 Stonewall Award in recognition of his longstanding service to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, Allen A. Schuh, president of The Anderson Prize Foundation, announced today. The $30,000 unrestricted cash award was presented to McKeon after an anonymous nomination process.

“Larry was not only the first openly gay representative in the Illinois legislature,” Schuh said, “more courageously, he was one of the first elected representatives in the U.S. who acknowledged being HIV-positive. By his presence and example as a gay and HIV-positive individual working day-to-day on both GLBT and ordinary legislative business, Larry overcame widespread homophobia in government, achieving the largest majority in support of gay and lesbian rights in Illinois history. The Anderson Prize Foundation is pleased to give something back to Larry for his selfless commitment to our community.”

“To be honored with The Anderson Prize Foundation’s award is especially meaningful, because I knew Paul Anderson and appreciated his important philanthropic work in our communities two decades ago,” McKeon said. “The Prize he funded before he died has recognized many activists over the years who might otherwise have gone unacknowledged, and I am honored to be among them.”

Among McKeon’s legislative achievements is an amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act, passed in 2005 after 30 years of attempts to achieve state-wide legislation banning discrimination against LGBT citizens. “I am very proud of my success in passing the Human Rights Amendment during my career as a lawmaker,” McKeon said. “In a year when a dozen states were passing laws writing discrimination into their constitutions by banning same-sex marriage, Illinois moved towards ending discrimination. The Human Rights Act garnered the largest majority it had ever received in its 30-year history in the Illinois House, including the most bi-partisan support in its history.”

In addition, McKeon sponsored and achieved passage of revisions to the Illinois organ donor act that allows transplantation of organs between individuals who are co-infected with HIV and viral hepatitis. This legislation received international attention and awaits congressional action to modify the prohibition in federal law.

McKeon, 63, is an Idaho native who began his public service career more than 40 years ago as a U.S. Army officer, Los Angeles police officer and administrator, educator, social service manager and community activist before becoming an elected state representative.

Read more on Larry here.