Dishing with Mark & Carrie
8-26-09
Two Sad Deaths in the Tampa Bay GLBTA Community this Week.
Goode Bye “Miss Kay” Thompson
Saturday, August 22, 2008 at 1 AM was the end of an era in the Tampa GLBT Community. Tampa Gay pioneer, activist, founder and tender loving classy Southern Belle, Miss Kay Thompson passed away. Kay was the loving Aunt, Mother and Friend to many in our community. Just a few months earlier Kay’s life partner of 50+ years, Bobby Smith had passed away. For many of us, they were one person “Bobby & Kay”! Bobby, who was born a woman, lived his life as a man. Bobby was also a photographer who started to document the GLBT life in Tampa from the early 1940’s. Bar names in the community like Knotty Pine, Jimmy White’s, Coco Joe’s and so many more places are captured in pics. Today many of his photos are in the GLBT Archives at USF. In the 1960’s Bobby met his life partner, Miss Kay! Together they purchased a home in South Tampa just off Bayshore Blvd. Bobby went to work at Golden Triangle Photography & Miss Kay opened her flower shop, Ashley Florists on MacDill Ave. across from Palma Ceia Country Club. A note of unsolicited gratitude to Miss Kay for all the flowers she gave to AIDS victims funerals in Tampa Bay. ” She did it because others wouldn’t and were afraid.” she had told me years ago. Several years later Bobby & Kay , together with a handful of close friends, contacted Rev Troy Perry & were founding members of Metropolitan Community Church Tampa. Together Bobby & Kay lead our community by example. Always loving and caring yet tough as nails. Never afraid to stand up to homophobia, human rights & injustice. They both were always at every major and minor GLBT Event, Demonstration & Celebration. Gay Prides, March on Washington, Film Festival, MCC Tampa… They were everywhere!!! In their later years, the two were always surrounded by many friends. Their extended family was beyond huge! The only comfort we have is in the fact that Bobby & Kay are together again in heaven.
Bobby & Kay are what legends are made from!
To see more photos from the Bobby & Kay collection visit.
click on my pics
A Very Romantic Funeral
Last night we said our good byes to “Miss Kay” Thompson. It was one of the most romantic funerals we have ever been to!!! Miss Kay was laid to rest in a beautiful powder blue coffin with chrome accents. Miss Kay was wearing a very pretty red dress with a signature flashy gold pin. The way she always dressed, classy! Her hands were folded over a pillow with a photo of Bobby on it. The church was filled with flowers, music & memories. Even Miss Kay’s pet song bird was there chirping. Kay’s Celebration of Life service was opened by MCC Tampa Senior Pastor, Rev. Phyllis Hunt & Founding Pastor of MCC Tampa, Rev Lee Carlton, now Senior Pastor at Mobile MCC. Also officiating were The Founding pastor of Tampa’s Potter’s House Fellowship, Rev Robert Morgan, Rev Todd Goewey and Rev. Dr. Kathy Rooke. At the start of the service the casket was closed and sealed for the final time. The 2 hour service was filled with many happy memories voiced of local Gay Rights pioneer couple, Bobby Smith & Kay Thompson. How they met in the 1950’s & founding days of MCC Tampa and their life together. The service was kinda like a part two since Bobby’s passing and funeral was just a few months before and you just couldn’t talk about one with out the other. At the closing as Miss Kay was escorted out, hands were clapping & people were moving & dancing to the hymn, “I’ll Fly Away”. Now for the very romantic part…… Remember the pillow that Miss Kay’s hands were resting on with Bobby’s photo. Inside that pillow were the cremated ashes of Bobby. May they rest together in peace forever.
August 26th, 2009 |
