Robert Eugene Goderre, born December 3, 1923, was the son of the late Samuel
Goderre and Marie DeFayette. Married to Alma Berard (died 1989) who was the mother of Frank, Robert, Jerry (died 2000) and Darlene Brown (Farmer Baverstock).
Queer Places:
Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
Sault Sainte Marie, Algoma District, Ontario, Canada
Robert Eugene Goderre, born December 3, 1923, was the son of the late Samuel
Goderre and Marie DeFayette. Married to Alma Berard (died 1989) who was the mother of Frank, Robert, Jerry (died 2000) and Darlene Brown (Farmer Baverstock).
Bob hosted weekend parties and dances in his basement and provided a home to the gay and lesbian community in his hometown Sault Ste. Marie for over 14 years during the 1970's and 1980's. His parties were an important haven for the town's queer residents. "Mother" Bob Goddere, a steelworker/housewife is the subject of the 1998 documentary I Know A Place (1998) by Roy Mitchell.
But this guy has been out forever. Not only do we get stories of Goderre having sex with his army buddies in World War II and tales of the guys on the line in the Sault steel mill accepting Bob and his boyfriend of 29 years, Jean-Guy, the film gives real sense of Goddere's joie de vivre, and his notion of social justice through laughter. Jean-Guy died of AIDS the year before the production of I Know A Place.
"Mother" Goderre was a spokesperson for The Gay Community for many years. Following Robert's wishes, cremation has taken place. He was buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery at a later date in 2010.
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