Obituary
OBITUARY: Mike Ritter, Blade contributor, dies at 48
Award-winning cartoonist worked in LGBT media


Mike Ritter was a well-known, award-winning political cartoonist. (Photo by Michael Chesworth; courtesy GA Voice)
Mike Ritter, a Washington Blade contributor and art director for the LGBT newspaper GA Voice in Atlanta, died shortly after midnight on Sunday, March 30. He was 48.
He was admitted to the emergency room at Atlanta Medical Center on Friday, March 28, where doctors determined he had a dissection on his aorta, a severe condition. After undergoing a 10-hour surgery on Saturday, he died due to the severity of his condition and complications from undergoing open-heart surgery.
Ritter was a native of Washington State and attended college at Arizona State University. While working on the newspaper at ASU, Ritter was awarded 10 Gold Circle Awards from Columbia University’s Scholastic Press Association. He also won two first-place awards in the editorial cartoon and comic strip categories.
He was the editorial cartoonist at the Tribune in Phoenix from 1992-2005 and a syndicated cartoonist with King Features Syndicate.
Ritter was honored by the Suburban Newspapers of America while at the Tribune and was awarded first place for editorial cartooning by the Arizona Press Club in 1993, 1995 and 1996.
In 1999 he received the Thomson newspaper chain’s highest award for illustration and a Freedom of Information Award from the Arizona Newspaper Association.
He served as president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists from 2003-2004. The AAEC noted Ritter was likely one of the first openly gay staff cartoonist at a mainstream daily newspaper while he worked for the East Valley and Scottsdale Tribune papers in Arizona. The East Valley Tribune has a slide show of his nationally recognized 9-11 political cartoon as well as many of his illustrations.
In 2004 he was profiled by Editor & Publisher magazine where he was also noted for being an openly gay staff cartoonist at a mainstream daily newspaper.
After Ritter moved to Atlanta, he joined the staff of the former Southern Voice where he was a graphic designer and cartoonist. He also was a cartoonist for GA Voice and worked for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution before joining the GA Voice staff as full-time art director last year. In 2011 as cartoonist for the GA Voice, he won third place for Best Original Editorial Cartoon in the National Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper contest. The cartoon was a biting look at the Atlanta Police Department’s raid on the Atlanta Eagle after news broke that that the lead investigator of the raid was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana. No drugs were found during the raid of the Eagle in 2009.
Many of his GA Voice and SoVo cartoons were picked up by other LGBT media outlets and blogs and he was an occasional Blade contributor, including work on several colorful and memorable front covers.
“Mike was a dear friend, a great person. He made me laugh. He made me think. He made me a better person and a better editor. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of old music and old movies. A true Renaissance man,” said Dyana Bagby, GA Voice editor. “He kept his great sense of humor until the very end even though he was in pain and uncomfortable. We at the GA Voice are heartbroken.”
Ritter’s impact goes far beyond his cartoons and graphic design, agreed Laura Douglas-Brown, GA Voice co-founder and former editor.
“I could talk about Mike’s brilliance, his skill as a cartoonist and illustrator, his keen political wit — but this would barely touch the surface of who Mike was to so many,” Douglas-Brown said. “There simply are no words big enough for the man he was or the legacy he leaves behind.”
His best friends, Will Alford and Tim Messier, are in contact with the family and plans for a memorial will be announced as soon as more information is made available.
He was born Aug. 21, 1965, and his family includes five older sisters, a brother and his parents.
Obituary
Longtime D.C. librarian, LGBTQ rights advocate Turner Freeman dies at 64
‘Voracious reader’ pushed for inclusive programming at DCPL

Sheldon ‘Turner’ Freeman, a gay librarian who worked for 39 years at the D.C. Public Library system and is credited with initiating a Black History Month film series and LGBTQ inclusive programming at the library system, died Dec. 23, at his home in Steelton, Pa. He was 64.
The D.C.-based LGBTQ advocacy and event planning group Team Rayceen Productions, which has held events at D.C.’s main Martin Luther King Library branch with support from Freeman, said the cause of death was a heart attack.
A write-up prepared by Freeman’s family members and published by Major H. Windfield Funeral Home in Steelton, says Freeman’s passing came just over a year after he retired from his position as librarian in November 2023 and moved back to his hometown of Steelton.
“Turner was known as a brilliant, proud Black man, who loved life and lived it to the fullest,” the write-up says. “He was a voracious reader and a music aficionado,” the write-up continues, adding that his other passions included dancing, Black history, collecting Black art, books, music and movies, “and watching his Eagles, Lakers and the Ohio State Buckeyes.”
It says he was a 1978 graduate of Steelton-Highspire High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. He earned his master’s degree in Library Science from the University of the District of Columbia, according to the write-up.
A statement from the D.C. Public Library system to Team Rayceen Productions says Turner’s title at the time of his retirement was Adult Services Librarian.
“As an avid film buff, Turner was one of the first staff members of DCPL’s audiovisual department in the 1980s, now a city-wide collection of DVDs and other media as well as a plethora of online streaming resources,” the statement says.
“His weekly movie screenings have been running for more than two decades and are a beloved staple of MLK Library programming that has carried on past his retirement,” according to the statement. “His Black History Month film series is a particularly beloved annual event.”
The statement adds that Freeman’s voice was frequently heard on the MLK Library’s public address system and he “literally became ‘the voice’ of MLK Library’s 50th anniversary celebration, recording audio narration for library programming and citywide promotions.”
The Team Rayceen Productions statement says Freeman was a co-founder of a group called Book Reading Uplifts His Spirit, known as BRUHS, which focused on issues of interest to Black gay and bisexual men. Some of the group’s events, which were held at the MLK Library, included talks by authors, film screenings, and reading of plays.
The statement notes that in 2021, Freeman moderated an online Facebook discussion with James Earl Hardy, the author of the B-Boy Blues book series, a collection of six novels that tell the stories of Black gay men. It also points out that Freeman was on the committee that organized D.C.’s first Black Pride celebration.
A statement sent by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to the Freeman family expresses her condolences over his passing and points to his numerous accomplishments as a librarian and community advocate.
“He was a caring friend and colleague whose impactful legacy, vibrancy, and kindness leaves behind an indelible mark on the hearts of many,” the mayor says in her message. “Turner was a role model, mentor, sports fan, and unwavering confidant, but above all there was no role more precious to him than that of a family man,” Bowser wrote.
“Turner’s love for his family was unparalleled, and his presence brought immense joy to his loved ones and to all those who knew him.”
A celebration of life for Freeman was held Jan. 4, at the Chapel of the Major H. Winfield Funeral Home in Steelton, Pa.
The funeral home write-up says Freeman was predeceased by his parents, Bucky and Cookie Freeman, and is survived by his son, Freeman Dane Swan; his sisters Stephanie Freeman, Stacey Freeman-McKamey, and Sage Freeman; and many loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and friends.
Obituary
Honoring the life and legacy of Coya White Hat-Artichoker
Life-long advocate for Indigenous, two-spirit rights died on Dec. 4

Born and raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Coya was a proud enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota Oyate or Rosebud Sioux Tribe. From the age of 15, she dedicated her life to advocating for Indigenous and Two Spirit rights, becoming a fierce organizer and a visionary leader in movements for justice. As a founding member of the First Nations Two Spirit Collective, Coya worked tirelessly to uplift Two Spirit youth, support Indigenous reproductive justice, and connect these communities to philanthropic spaces to drive transformative change.
Coya’s advocacy for Indigenous reproductive justice was rooted in a deep understanding of its inseparability from the fight for Indigenous sovereignty. She saw this work as part of a 500-year history of resistance to colonization, weaving together the rights to access abortion, raise children in safe and sustainable environments, steward healthy lands and waters, practice Indigenous cultures, speak ancestral languages, and govern sovereign communities. Recently she served as a board member for SisterSong and the American LGBTQ+ Museum. Coya was a fierce leader who brought dedication and brilliance, impacting gender and reproductive justice efforts around the world.
In 2020, Coya’s visionary leadership brought the world’s first fund dedicated to Indigenous reproductive justice, Building the Fire Fund, into existence. Guided by an Indigenous Advisory Council of women and Two Spirit leaders from across Turtle Island, the fund represents a powerful testament to Coya’s dedication and collaborative spirit. Coya co-authored “Tired of Dancing to Their Song: An Assessment of the Indigenous Women’s Reproductive Justice Funding Landscape” with Zachary Packineau. This seminal report provides a critical roadmap for philanthropy to support and grow the emerging field of Indigenous reproductive justice.
In 2023, Coya brought Building the Fire Fund to Solidaire Network, where we are honored to walk alongside the Advisory Council in advancing this vital work. Coya’s passion, wisdom, and dedication will continue to guide and inspire all of us who were privileged to know her and work beside her.
To honor Coya’s legacy and her vision for the Indigenous reproductive justice movement, we invite you to contribute to the Building the Fire Fund. Your support ensures that her transformative work will continue, lighting the way for generations to come.
Coya White Hat-Artichoker’s life was a powerful testament to resilience, love, and unwavering commitment to justice. While her presence will be deeply missed, her legacy will endure as a beacon of hope and strength for all who carry her vision forward.
Obituary
Washington lawyer Carolee Byrley dies at age 60
An active member of the local Gay Recovery Community

Carolee Byrley passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 30, 2024, in her home in Washington, D.C. She was 60.
She died from complications of Type One diabetes.
She was born on Sept. 2, 1964, in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., to Paul L. Byrley and Judith I. Byrley.
She graduated in 1982 from Winter Park High School in Winter Park, Fla., and from college at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla. She later earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law School in Washington, D.C.
Byrley practiced law in Washington specializing in contracts and mergers.
Byrley was predeceased by her father as well as by Eileen Garner, her loving life partner of 38 years. She is survived by her mother, Judith Ireland, stepfather, Jerrold Nussbaum, brother, John Byrley, sister-in-law, Lena Byrley, brother, Jason Byrley, brother-in-law, Ben Byrley, and nephews, Jack and Alex Byrley.
Byrley was an active member of the Gay Recovery Community in Washington where she sponsored many people over the years. She recently received recognition for 40 years of sobriety and was living proof of the slogan, “Keep what you have by giving it away.” Her generosity and authenticity shown through in all she did. There was not a bone in her body that was fake. And, as one of her friends described her, she was “the kindest person I have ever met.”
Byrley was deeply committed to her dogs through the years and to the care and protection of rescue dogs everywhere.
A celebration of Byrley’s life will be held on Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. at Friends of Washington, 2111 Decatur Place, Washington, D.C., where friends encourage those who knew her to share memories of her life. There will be a reception at Friends following the memorial.
In lieu of flowers, please give a donation to your local dog rescue organization, in her name.
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