POMPANO BILL’S MEMORIAL

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The South Florida LGBTQ community came together at The Pride Center in Wilton Manors last Thursday to mourn the passing of one of its brightest stars, photographer “Pompano” Bill Calcaterra. The memorial, which was co-hosted by former nightclub owner Toni Barone and Hot Spots owner Peter Clark, featured testimonial videos from people who were closest to Calcaterra. Speaking on video, nightclub owner Paul Hugo quipped that Calcaterra “touched” everyone that he came into contact with. Another amusing comment came from Michael Connell, co-owner of The Pub, who said that the “first time that he met Pompano Bill was at a high, upscale bar called the Ramrod.” The most outlandish commentary came from longtime-friend Joe Posa, and dressed as Joan Rivers, when he reassured the crowd that he met Pompano Bill at the “pearly gates,” but that he figured that Calcaterra would be “down there given all the people that he slept with.” Posa also impressed upon the crowd that we’re “waiting for all you old farts from Wilton Manors to hurry up and get here.” Despite the humor that came from some memorializers, Pomapano Bill was repeatedly characterized as an “incredibly generous” person whose lasting contribution was that he chronicled virtually the entire LGBTQ community in Broward County—from the 1990s to present—with his photography.