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April 12, 2019 - We Remember

Sam Deetz

 

Samuel John “Equality” Deetz

April 21, 1951 – March 27, 2019

Sam was born in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, into a fundamental religious family with seven children. Sam’s father served as a preacher in the God’s Missionary Synod; his preaching took the family from state to state, and Sam attended 11 different schools. With four of his siblings becoming preachers, Sam’s early rebellion and his coming out as gay were not received well by the family.

As a result, Sam chose “Equality” as his middle name. He became a gay activist, and in 1976 he met his partner of 42 years, Jim Zeigler.

Sam worked with many gay activists in the 70s, then served on the Pennsylvania Council on Sexual Minorities. He founded the Susquehanna Valley Gays United in Sunbury and led a number of Pennsylvania’s rural gay organizations.

Sam was an historian and saved as many gay-related papers and articles as he could gather. His papers were donated to the Central Pennsylvania LGBT History Project in 2017. Sam was honored at Dickenson College, Pennsylvania, where the papers are archived and also are exhibited, for the History Comes Out project. The exhibit includes a collection video of recorded LGBT stories, which currently is being viewed throughout Pennsylvania in a traveling exhibit, The Long Road to LGBTQ+ Equality in Pennsylvania.

After more than 35 years in Pennsylvania, Sam and Jim moved to Delaware. Sam joined the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County, protesting in the circle of Georgetown at the “We Will Not Be Silent” rally supporting Coretta Scott King, Elizabeth Warren, and all women. He registered voters, got signatures for petitions, and marched in Delmar to promote the right to unionize nursing home staff, leading to the unionization.

Sam was on a first-name basis with Delaware state legislators, championing progressive issues, and last July Fourth stood along Route One demonstrating against the separation of families at the US border.

He worked with a coalition for the dreamers at Delaware State, and arranged a “Dine-In for Dreamers” benefit at Epworth United Methodist Church which raised over $5,000 to help the dreamers with textbooks and other costs associated with their education.

Sam’s last effort, the African Freedom Project, raised funds to remove gay refugees from Gambia and Nigeria, where gays could be beheaded. His efforts, along with others in the group, raised enough money to free several refugees.

We remember Sam “Equality” Deetz for a life well lived and activism that mattered. ▼

‹ April 12, 2019 - Millennial Times by Michael Marciano up April 12, 2019 - Out & About by Eric C. Peterson ›

Past Issues

Issues Index

  • November 15, 2019 - Issue Index
  • October 18, 2019 - Issue Index
  • September 20, 2019 - Issue Index
  • August 23, 2019 - Issue Index
  • August 9, 2019 - Issue Index
  • July 26, 2019 - Issue Index
  • July 12, 2019 - Issue Index
  • June 28, 2019 - Issue Index
  • June 14, 2019 - Issue Index
  • May 31, 2019 - Issue Index
  • May 17, 2019 - Issue Index
  • May 3, 2019 - Issue Index
  • April 12, 2019 - Issue Index
    • April 12, 2019 - Cover-to-cover with ISSUU
    • April 12, 2019 - The Way I See It by Murray Archibald
    • April 12, 2019 - In Brief
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMPmatters by Murray Archibald
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMP Out by Fay Jacobs
    • April 12, 2019 - Celebrating Women's FEST in Rehoboth
    • April 12, 2019 - Straight Talk by David Garrett
    • April 12, 2019 - Health and Wellness by Marj Shannon
    • April 12, 2019 - President's View by Chris Beagle
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMP News
    • April 12, 2019 - It's My Life by Michael Thomas Ford
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMP Cheers!
    • April 12, 2019 - The Real Dirt by Eric W. Wahl
    • April 12, 2019 - Intentionally Inclusive by Wesley Combs
    • April 12, 2019 - Out & Proud by Stefani Deoul
    • April 12, 2019 - Forever Unfinished Business by Michael Gilles
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMPshots Gallery 1
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMPshots Gallery 2
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMPshots Gallery 3
    • April 12, 2019 - Millennial Times by Michael Marciano
    • April 12, 2019 - We Remember
    • April 12, 2019 - Out & About by Eric C. Peterson
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMP Arts by Doug Yetter
    • April 12, 2019 - Booked Solid by Terri Schlichenmeyer
    • April 12, 2019 - CAMP Dates - April 12- May 5
  • March 8, 2019 - Issue Index
  • February 8, 2019 - Issue Index

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