A Sad Day in Local Journalism
I just received this letter from the NLGJA. It says everything.
Dear NLGJA Members,
With great sadness, we would like to inform
NLGJA members that Dennis Vercher III, editor of the
Dallas Voice and a former NLGJA Dallas
Chapter president, passed away Wednesday. Dennis
was 53 and died from an HIV/AIDS-related illness.
Dennis, editor of the Voice since 1986, was
NLGJA Dallas Chapter president from 1999-2002. He
also served as a co-chair of NLGJA’s national
convention in that city in 2001. Prior to joining the
Voice, his work included positions as news
director and public affairs director for radio stations
in Beaumont, TX, as well as an adjunct instructor at
Lamar University in Beaumont.
Dennis had a profound impact on the local LGBT
landscape. His work for the Voice over the
last two decades contributed greatly to and
chronicled some important times in the region for the
LGBT communities, including a surge in visibility for
LGBT people in day-to-day Dallas life; battles over
nondiscrimination ordinances, HIV/AIDS treatment
and sodomy laws; and growth in LGBT political
strength. He was one of the most knowledgeable
people about LGBT Dallas and was prominently
featured in “Finding Our Voice,” a locally-produced
public television special about Dallas’ LGBT
communities.
Dennis was also highly-regarded by other journalists
in the Dallas area. As Frank Trejo of the Dallas
Morning News reflected this morning, “In the
mid-1990s I covered LGBT-related news and had
numerous occasions to communicate with Dennis. He
was always willing to help me make contact with
people in the community and always willing to share
information. And, he knew exactly what made a good
news story. He also was one of the nicest people I
have ever met.”
He was honored Sept. 15 for his career in journalism
and contributions to the local LGBT communities by
the Dallas Tavern Guild, a non-profit association
responsible for producing the annual Alan Ross Texas
Freedom and Pride Rally.
Dennis is survived by his life partner, Farron Campbell
of Dallas; his father, Dennis Vercher II, of Orange,
TX; his brother and sister-in-law, James and Janice
Vercher of Lufkin, TX; and his brother and
sister-in-law, Don and Donna Vercher of
Orange.
Funeral services are pending.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dennis’ family, as
well as his friends and colleagues in Dallas and
throughout NLGJA.
Eric Hegedus
National President
Pamela Strother
Executive Director
