Local
Janice Moncier dies at 68
Award-winning activist, longtime D.C. resident
Janice L. ‘Jan’ Moncier
Janice L. “Jan” Moncier, a certified financial planner and longtime resident and neighborhood activist on Capitol Hill, died July 16 at the Washington Home and Community Hospices following a lengthy battle with breast cancer. She was 68.
According to information released by her partner of 33 years, Ann Norwood, the couple lived in D.C. since 1988, when they bought a Capitol Hill townhouse near Stanton Park that became their home.
“Jan’s interest in historic preservation led to a basement full of hardware, skylights, and door frames that she used to authentically restore elements of their 100-year-old Victorian row house,” according to a write-up prepared by Norwood.
“A dedicated neighborhood activist, Jan participated in neighborhood cleanups and ‘orange hat’ crime watches and advocated for years for the recent repaving of the alley behind their home,” the write-up says.
It says Moncier was born and raised in Tennessee on a small tobacco and dairy farm. She became an active member of the 4-H Club during her childhood years, pursuing many civic activities such as health, leadership and recreation projects.
She became a recognized athlete both in high school and at Wheaton College in Illinois, where she was inducted into its Hall of Fame for athletic achievement. She received a master’s degree in physical education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
The write-up released by Norwood says Moncier went on to teach high school at U.S. Department of Defense schools in Iceland and Germany. Norwood said her partner later became a stockbroker for the E.F. Hutton Company in San Francisco. Norwood said that’s where the two met in 1981 while Norwood was completing her psychiatric residency with the U.S. Army at Letterman Army Medical Center.
The couple next moved to the Fort Hood, Texas, area where Moncier became a certified financial planner. The two moved to Washington in 1988.
In 1996, when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer, Moncier received support services from the Mautner Project, a D.C.-area lesbian health organization. The following year, after completing treatment, she became a Mautner volunteer and was recognized for her service to the group in 1999 by receiving its direct services award.
She retired from her job with the ICMA-RC retirement planning company for public-sector employees in 2008 for health reasons after her cancer returned, Norwood said.
“Jan was known for her extreme generosity, love of gardening, travel and women’s basketball; and her devotion to finding a good deal on Craigslist,” Norwood said in her write-up.
Moncier was predeceased by her parents, Mark and Bonnie Wilhoit Moncier; her sister, Sherry Rockstad; and her brother, David Moncier. She is survived by Norwood, her spouse; her brother-in-law Phil Rockstad; sister-in-law Margaret Moncier; her nephew Jonathan Moncier; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 9, at 1 p.m. at the Hill Center on Capitol Hill at 921 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E. in D.C. The family asks that memorial contributions be made to a favorite charity in lieu of flowers.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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