Obituaries

Persia Amarra Conway’s loved ones and members of Houston’s LGBTQ community gathered at the Montrose Center to honor her life, mourn her loss, and call for greater care and protection for transgender women, especially trans…

Barney Frank, the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay, died at 86 after a career shaping LGBTQ rights, banking reform, and Democratic politics.

Jason Collins, the first openly gay active player in a major U.S. men’s professional sports league, died at 47 after battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Dr. Ronald Jerry LaCarna, 81, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Houston, Texas, on February 3, 2026.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow Coalition, has died at 84, leaving a lasting legacy in voting rights, LGBTQ advocacy, and Democratic politics.

Carl Han, a longtime Houston LGBTQ leader and community advocate, died January 26, 2026. Friends remember his generosity, activism, and final act as an organ donor.

Bret Hanna-Shuford, a Broadway veteran and Broadway Husbands co-creator, has died at 46 after a battle with two rare disorders. He was featured in OutSmart in 2014 and 2022.

Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, longtime champions of marriage equality, are being remembered for their pivotal role in overturning Proposition 8 and advancing LGBTQ rights nationwide.

Astrologer and teacher Lilly Roddy, who wrote OutSmart’s monthly column for more than three decades, is remembered for her brilliance, compassion, and trailblazing role in Houston’s LGBTQ community.

Long-time friend and OutSmart astrologer Lilly Roddy has passed away at the age of 73.