Page 1 of 1
Jennifer Gale's body found in front of church
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 4:01 pm
by DonnaT
Austin fire officials say a body found just north of the University of Texas campus Wednesday morning belongs to perennial Austin mayoral candidate Jennifer Gale.
Gale, 47, is a transgendered homeless former Marine who has run unsuccessfully for numerous public offices in Austin and Dallas.
The body was found in front of the First English Lutheran Church in the 3000 block of Whitis Avenue where Gale was staying, and officials told KVUE News they feel certain the body belongs to Gale.
Austin police say the medical examiner's office has not yet identified the body.
Fire officials say a crew responded to a 9-1-1 call and found the body. The crew performed CPR for at least 30 minutes, but they never felt a pulse.
Gale has gained fame in Austin by repeatedly running for multiple offices, including mayor, city council, governor and Congress. Gale is also known for attending municipal hearings where she has presented arguments in song. Gale had planned to run for Austin mayor in 2009.
Former Austin Mayor Bruce Todd released the following statement on news of Gale's death:
"Jennifer was a constant presence at various public hearings, forums and meetings in Austin and displayed a great love for and interest in our city. Her well-known catchphrase was Keep Austin, Austin. While Jennifer no longer is here to physically trumpet that slogan, her personification of that expression will never be forgotten."
http://www.kvue.com/news/top/stories/12 ... e03a0.html
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:45 pm
by Virginia
Austin is suppose to be such a liberal baston in Texas. Of course we don't know and probably never will know what happened, but the mere fact that she was TG is troubling in itself that she died!
Probably won't make the news in the drive-by media either.
She did her thing and she evidently made a difference. We should all be so lucky!
Virginia
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:12 pm
by MsJoann
So sad....I hope this was not the result of another hate crime.
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:38 pm
by DonnaT
Government officials honor Jennifer Gale, perennial political candidate dead at 47
11:31 AM Thu, Dec 18, 2008
http://cityhallblog.dallasnews.com/arch ... r-jen.html
Ben Wear at The Austin American-Statesman's City Beat blog reports that the Austin City Council will officially honor Jennifer Gale, the homeless, gender-bending perennial candidate who lost every office for which she ran, but clearly won the hearts of the hundreds who met her.
Says Wear: The Austin City Council just after noon will officially honor Jennifer Gale, the homeless perennial candidate for local offices who died Wednesday while sleeping outside a local church. But Austin Mayor Will Wynn began this morning's meeting with his own tribute in the form of a crystal bowl and $100.
Ms. Gale, 47, died Wednesday morning while sleeping outside an Austin church.
She ran numerous times for political positions in Austin, and in 2007, placed ninth in an 11-way race for Dallas mayor.
UPDATE: Every member of the Austin City Council today offered a personal tribute to Ms. Gale, Mr. Wear writes.
All seven members of the Austin City Council gave personal tributes to Jennifer Gale today is what was a touching and sometimes funny goodbye to the transgendered homeless woman who was a regular speaker — and singer — at council meetings. She also ran and lost numerous races for the council and other elective offices.
Gale had made her last three-minute appearance at a council subcommittee meeting Tuesday evening, spooling out her typically crowded list of concerns — health care, Iraq, abortion — and singing an on-tune and lilting version of “Silent Night.” A tape of her performance was played at council chambers today, with most of the audience and several council members joining in the singing.
“She’s always been an incredibly sweet person,” said Council Member Brewster McCracken, who recalled sitting with Gale for about 30 minutes not that long ago and asking about her life story. She told him about living in the Carolinas, about serving in the Marines, about working at a Stuckey’s.
The outpouring for such an unusual person, McCracken said, ” is a reminder of the better angels of all of us as Austinites. But the idea that she died alone on a park bench on a cold night is a reminder that we have not lived up to our better angels as a community.”
Council Member Mike Martinez pointed out that Gale had a particular problem finding proper shelter. She couldn’t go to a male shelter because she lived her life as a woman, but couldn’t go to a woman’s shelter because she was “anatomically” a man, Martinez said. He pointed out that the homeless residential facility that the council briefly considered months ago might have provided a place for someone like Gale.
Council Member Laura Morrison recalled that Gale was among the six who ran for the seat Morrison won. Gale came in fourth, Morrison said. Her favorite memory, Morrison said, was a Real Estate Council of Austin election forum when Gale “led about 500 suits and their guests at the Four Season’s ballroom in a rendition of “You’ve lost that lovin’ feeling.”
Mayor Will Wynn said he had the “distinct honor of running twice for mayor with Jennifer. You didn’t run against Jennifer, you ran with her.”
“Jennifer will be sorely missed,” Wynn said. “Semper fi.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... _coun.html
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:46 pm
by DonnaT
Authorities said they do not suspect foul play and are investigating whether the night's cold weather — temperatures dropped to the mid-30s — contributed to Gale's death. An autopsy is pending.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/n ... 8gale.html
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:38 pm
by Virginia
I shed some tears for Jennifer. There are few and far between folks like her. We can disect her, her life, her failures and her successes, but to what avail? I am glad that the council recognized her as a tribute. I guess we all see "the homeless" at various times. I always think that at one time some mother held that person in their arms and loved them and I hope that that thought helps them through their trials. Yes, some are mental, not harmful to us or themselves, just trying to survive as best they can. Jennifer just had another way of surviving, expressing herself in a way that most of the "great unwashed" could not even begin to understand or probably even what to.
She did touch some lives and perhaps she caused some changes in that the "government" will at least consider some type of help (shelter) something for those of our sisters who could be in the same situation.
Peaceful sleep, Jennifer!
Virginia