My best friend Dr. John Ruffing died 17 years ago. His legacy is now a pet food pantry.

Dr. Ruffing Pet Food Pantry

All week, I’ve been loading donations for The Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Pantry into my borrowed Land Rover that we’ve dubbed St. Gertrude or Gertie. She contains multitudes of cat food. Now,there’s no interior light so I bought a head lamp. I added a USB port to the cigarette light – oh […]

A Belated Tribute to a Warrior for Justice, Maggie Ritchey (May 21, 1950 ~ August 16, 2022)

I am two years late in posting the obituary of Maggie Ritchey. It is important to include tributes to the lives and deaths of our elders in this archive. International Lesbian Day seems like a good time to honor Maggie. I met Maggie through the Persad ‘Voice for a New Tomorrow’ group. in the mid […]

We Established a Pet Food Pantry to Honor Your Favorite Veterinarian Dr. John Ruffing (1966-2007) Here’s How to Donate

The Story of John Ruffing Some of you remember John Ruffing WMS c/o 84. During the 80’s, he worked in the mall food court for years, hiring many of us. He went to Cal U then Penn to become a veterinarian. Then he worked in Dravosburg and Pleasant Hills among other spaces. In addition, he […]

Now I’m Left to Wonder if Anyone Noticed That My Dad Died.

My Dad died on February 28, 2024. Early that morning, I arrived at the funeral home and see one arrangement of flowers. They were from my brother’s coworkers. Two more arrangements arrived later that day. I don’t know who sent them. That was it. We had listed ‘Kerry’s Kittens‘ as a charity in lieu of […]

My Father Died Last Night

Two years ago this month, I wrote a similar blog post My Mother Died Last Night. I don’t know if it a coincidence or a sign that my father died in the same month. This was a Facebook post I created this morning. I’m posting here to preserve it. I will write a more traditional […]

The Second Anniversary of the Death of My Mother

collage of kerry pryor kerr my mother

Two years ago, my mother died on this date. I think about her more often now. Even when it is a sad memory, I almost instantly remember that she’s at peace. I can miss her, but not regret that she’s gone. Not in a “better place” sort of way, but that she served her time […]

Pittsburgh Celebrates First ‘Protect Trans Kids Day’ With Proclamation

Protect Trans Kids Day Pittsburgh

“To be properly recognized by the city is essentially a beautiful moment for me knowing that it’s a stepping stone for kids to not ever have to feel how I felt or how other kids around me kind of felt like growing up,” they said. “No one was teaching or sharing trans joy around me […]

Donate a Candle to Support Trans Neighbors

Trans deaths

Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities (PLC) is creating a project to honor trans neighbors whose lives have been lost to the terror campaign sweeping the nation. As of today, there are 26 individuals on that list. We will be creating a memorial at our booth at Netroots Nation to honor their lives and acknowledge their deaths. This […]

My Best Friend, Dr. John Ruffing

When people talk about their best friends or when I see besties on a TV show, I cringe. I don’t have a best friend. I have my wife. I have lovely good friends who are importantly intertwined into my lifeweb. I’m not lonely. I had a best friend and today is his birthday. Or it […]

Trans Woman Helle Jae O’Regan Murdered in San Antonio

Helle Jae O’Regan is the 11th transperson known murdered in the US during 2020. She died on Wednesday, May 6. She was 20 years old when she was murdered in a bizarre rampage at her San Antonio workplace – a hair salon. A man apparently denied services left the store, returned with a knife and […]