Madaline Lee

My friend is Michael David (Brayton). The following is an obituary of his mother, Madaline Lee, by ACT UP/LA's Peter Cashman reprinted here in its entirety.

(The photograph is of Madaline Lee, Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade, 1984.)

Madaline Lee – A Force of Nature

By Peter Cashman

Madaline Lee, iconic Riverside businesswoman, activist and resident for more than 50 years, died at her home in the city on Friday Dec. 10th. She had been diagnosed with metastasized cancer in mid-September.

In February 1983, Madaline co-founded The Menagerie, the city’s first bar catering to the LGBT community. Later that same year she spearheaded the creation of the Inland AIDS Project (IAP), one of the first such organizations in Southern California. Her contribution to the women’s, LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities is impossible to understate. She was a force of nature, passionate, forthright and unmistakable with her trademark crest of brilliant red hair.

Madaline was born in Fresno, CA on Oct. 8, 1934, moving to Riverside in 1959 where she continued to raise her three children after divorcing in the mid-60′s. Grabbing a quick bite to eat at The Office, a favorite Riverside bar/restaurant, she told me life had been incredibly tough in those years: “You have no idea the shit I had to do to get by!”

Prior to The Menagerie, she had gained greater security by working for a San Bernardino engineering firm. In the late 60′s her resumé had included a stint as director, designer and star of the lunchtime businessmen’s lingerie modeling show at Pitruzzello’s Restaurant in Riverside.

Normally this showcased outfits from Frederick’s of Hollywood – but when it was announced Madaline would model Rudi Gernreich’s topless swimsuit, pandemonium ensued all over the city. Madaline did model the topless bathing suit, but an appropriately placed fur stole ensured the house would not be entirely brought down.

In 1977, she called Riverside’s Mission Inn home during the final years of its residential era. In fact it was in her apartment, beneath the Inn’s historic bell-tower, that plans for first the Stage Door, her brief bar venture at Riverside’s old City Hall in 1982, then The Menagerie, and a few months later, the Inland AIDS Project, were hatched over meetings led in her indomitable manner.

Madaline recognized very early the seriousness of the AIDS crisis. She reached out to a wide range of Inland Empire contacts in government, civic and business life, including Riverside County and San Bernardino County health officials David Dassey and Alex Taylor, in bringing about the creation of the IAP with local health industry executive, John Salley, as its founding Executive Director.

The Menagerie rapidly became a de-facto community center and Madaline rode in the first Long Beach Pride Parade in June 1984, promoting the bar and the community. That same year she participated in CSW’s Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade, going on to lead and sponsor an expanded Riverside parade contingent for a number of years.

At the same time she began to organize with Jim Endicott, then owner of Gents, a Pomona gay bar. Jim had hosted a number of fundraisers for the Pomona-San Gabriel Valley Lesbian and Gay Alliance at his family’s Christmas tree farm in what is now the Woodcrest area In Riverside/Perris. By the mid-80′s, with Madaline’s involvement, these had morphed into a full scale Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival on Independence Day benefitting the Coalition and IAP and becoming one of Southern California’s’ pioneering pride events.

Next came a leading role in the Inland Empire fight opposing four AIDSphobic California ballot measures. The Lyndon La Rouche- sponsored Proposition 64 in 1986 would have required the quarantining of all HIV positive Californians. Rapidly following in 1988 were Propositions 69, 96 and 102, the latter sponsored by antigay Orange County Republican Congressman William Dannemeyer. Madaline immediately offered The Menagerie for fundraising and organizing and worked with community groups to oppose these measures.

Then in 1991, Riverside faced its own homegrown ballot measure battle. A group called “Citizens for Responsible Behavior” attempted to sponsor a measure to amend the city’s charter by enshrining wide-ranging discrimination against its gay and lesbian residents, as well as residents with AIDS. Riverside resident Connie Confer, who with her late partner Kay Smith had co-founded PACE, a political action committee addressing local gay and lesbian issues, remembers Madaline’s generosity in offering her bar as a place to meet and organize. Connie recalled, “In addition she was a cheerleader for those of us who sometimes got worn out by the seemingly endless struggle. Her sensitivity to the rights of women and gay men and lesbians was born of her personal experiences and was very deep.”

In the midst of this turmoil, Madaline embarked on her next project – bringing the NAMES Project’s AIDS Memorial Quilt to Riverside’s downtown Convention Center. It was a transformative moment, even for someone as tough and seasoned as Madaline, who then set about forming the Inland Empire chapter of the NAMES Project. Next she was off to Washington, DC with daughter Shelley as a volunteer for the Quilt’s massive display on the Mall in October 1992. It was an overwhelming experience for her. Even so she took time out with Shelley to participate in ACT UP/DC’s historic “Hands Around the White House” protesting President Bush’s inaction on AIDS.

Throughout the 90′s she continued to operate The Menagerie and actively promote and participate in many organizations and causes. In 1999, she turned 65 and decided to retire from business and sold The Menagerie to longtime bar patron, friend and businessman, David St Pierre. David recalls, “Madaline was a wonderful woman. Very loud and outspoken. She told it like it was. Sometimes very strongly. But she also would do anything for you. When I first met Madaline, I was afraid of her. But soon got to realize that her hard exterior was her shield. After getting to know her, we became instant friends.”

On The Menagerie’s website, David tells the story of the famous neon sign which spells out “Fabulaus” – forever a reminder of Madaline. “Wanting to liven up the decor, Madaline decided to order a bright neon sign for the bar. When the sign came in though, it didn’t quite work right, so she ordered it again. Second try, still no luck. Finally on the third try, the sign worked — but it had one small problem: it was misspelled. Ms. Lee, in all her glorious wisdom (picture a dirty martini in one hand and a cigarello in the other) said, “F*ck it, we’re keeping it!” and left it as is.”

In the fall of 1999, to mark her retirement, a gala was held at Riverside’s Fox Theater honoring her outstanding service to the Inland Empire and California. It was a night of humor and honor with numerous awards and presentations from civic, political, educational, sporting, religious and service groups.

Whether greeting a new patron at her bar with her signature embrace and “How did you hear about us?” or cajoling lawmakers, recalcitrant officials or simply winning over folks who were totally unlike her, she was a force of life not to be denied. Her passion, her unremitting friendship, the evangelistic zeal with which she took on any cause will be deeply missed. She was indeed, to use her favorite word – fabulaus!

She is survived by her three children, Shelley Brayton, Riverside; Charlene Nicholson, Boise, ID and Michael David (Brayton), Santa Barbara, CA; son-in-law Randy Nicholson and grandsons Joshua Brayton and Ryan Nicholson and loved nieces and nephews.

She is also survived by numerous dear friends and colleagues especially in the women’s, LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities for whom she worked so tirelessly and passionately.

A celebration of her life will be held Sunday, Dec. 19th, 2010 at 7747 Broadacre Place, Riverside, CA 92504 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. with a service at 2:00 p.m.

Peter Cashman wrote this remembrance, with thanks to Shelley Brayton, Connie Confer, Jim Endicott and David St Pierre.