Jerrie Linder, 83, one of the Washington area GLBT community’s founding women, who had been actively involved in many groups including the Gay Women’s Alternative, the Gay Community Center, Lavender Languages, and the local chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, died Sunday morning February 20th of complications following a stroke, according to her friend Paul Rowan.  Jerrie was recognized at Pride 2004 as one of our Heroes of Pride.  According to Rowan, there are not yet any plans for a memorial service.

From the Hero of Pride Nominating Letter:

Since arriving in Washington, DC in the early 1950s, Jerrie Linder has been breaking new ground, nurturing and supporting the local LGBT community, and making a name for herself among the lesbian community.

Now 80 plus years old, Ms Linder continues to be as active as she can, participating in annual Pride events and attending conferences such as Lavender Languages.  Following her arrival in Washington, DC, Linder took a position at the National Geographic in the photography division, breaking new ground for women photojournalists.  In her thirty years at the National Geographic, Linder rose to photo curator of the magazine.  As a journalist, she was a founding member of the DC chapter of NLGJA.

Ms Linder has been involved for many years in the gay and lesbian community, as an activist and as an organizer.  Her diminutive figure is almost iconic in the lesbian community.  Her experience of the lesbian scene in Washington, DC encompasses the women’s open houses, the Washington area women’s center, and our last community center.  As vice-president, Jerrie Lindner kept the Gay Community Center a functioning and welcoming place until the day it closed late in 1990.  At the community center, she was often involved in organizing art shows and cultural events.

Linder was strongly involved with women’s activities in the 70s at the Washington Area Women’s Center and in the 80s at the Gay Women’s Alternative.  Her experience of achievement, and of discrimination, in the field of photojournalism, led her to be a founding member and active participant at the DC chapter of the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association.  Jerrie Linder has also long been active in the Triangle Arts association.

Dr. William Leap, founder of the Lavender Languages conference, recalls Jerrie Linder “was on the front row of the first LL and was on the front row ever since, constantly calling speakers back down to earth with her questions and comments about what lesbian/gay people really do with language in everyday life. And she always reminded us that some lesbian/gay people are not affluent and cannot be assumed to have the disposable income allowing them to register for conferences, pay taxi fares after late night events end etc.  Our sliding scale registration fee is in part in response and respect to her gentle ministration.”

James Crutchfield, president of the Gay Community Center from 1982 to 1988 remembers “Jerrie became involved with the Gay Community Center (GCC-DC) in her early 60's a time of life at which most people are choosing to become less involved in activists roles.  During the first months I was President of the GCC-DC when most people were expecting the center to fold Jerrie was one few people to come forward to offer her assistance to keep it open.  It was due to the hard work of a very few individuals like her that the center managed to continue for another eight years before it closed.  She was not just someone who attended monthly meetings but also someone who was willing to work hard and was not afraid to get her hands dirty.

Jerrie was involved with the center for 7 or 8 years as a board member and served at various times in positions including Vice President.  She was active in the GCC-DC Writers Group which published the soft copy book "SHORTS An Anthology" which included writings from her and 18 other gay and lesbian writers many of whom had never had works published prior to that time… Jerrie was one of the leaders of the Gay Community Center Art and Photo Shows held throughout each year.”

Ms Linder was also very involved in the preservation of the Sumner School and has been active in the Triangle Arts Group.