| Kaye Fox (1942-March 27, 2016) was born Kenneth Fox. In 1979, working as a priest – before becoming a she – (s)he guided the Open Door Mission in its greatest period of growth both financially and organizationally, supervising the opening of its Plymouth Avenue shelter in 1986. During that time the Mission grew from one to 40 employees, boasting an annual budget of $3.5 million. In 2002 she announced her female identity at which point her son Ron Fox took over her position at the Mission. She was admired by many LGBT activists and worshiped at one of the first churches to embrace members of the community – the Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church. According to local LGBT activist Anne Tischer, she helped many identifying as transgenders become more comfortable spiritually. |
