Kathleen Joan DeBold, celebrated D.C. LGBTQ activist, died suddenly on Oct. 9, 2022 in Ocean City, Md. at age 66, according to an obituary released by family and friends.
She was born on Nov. 16, 1955 in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Francis Charles and Joan Marie DeBold. During childhood, her family moved to Maryland.
DeBold graduated with a degree in agriculture and life sciences from the University of Maryland College Park in 1977. She worked for the Entomological Society of America and was the first female apiary inspector in the state of Maryland, according to the statement.
Her international political commitments inspired her to join the Peace Corps in 1982, where she was stationed in the Central African Republic (CAR) for three years to teach beekeeping.