On June 24, 1973 an arsonist deliberately set fire to a gay bar in New Orleans called the Up Stairs lounge. Thirty-two people were killed during that inferno. Many consider it the “Largest Gay Mass Murder in U.S. History.” Some victims were burned so badly they could only be identified by dental records. Others were identified by personal belongings including one victim that was identified by a ring he was wearing.
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[Op-Ed Originally Published: October 15, 2015, Advocate.com]http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/10/05/closure-still-eludes-family-gay-man-killed-new-orleans-arson
Since Ferris’ body was never claimed, he and three unidentified males were buried in the “New Orleans Pauper Cemetery”, a cemetery designated for indigents.   Over the past 42 years, it is not hard to understand why many people conclude that the reason Ferris' body was never claimed, was because his family was embarrassed or ashamed that was gay. It's not like that mentality was uncommon.  
His name was Ferris LeBlanc. He celebrated his 50th birthday two days before the fire. Born in Michigan, Ferris grew up in a loving family of 13 brothers and sisters in California. He was an Army veteran, serving valiantly in World War II. He was part of the D-Day invasion and even fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Even though he was positively identified, Ferris's body was never claimed for burial. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one that wasn't claimed. One of the victims' mothers was so embarrassed that her son died in a gay bar, she refused to claim the body; she felt her family would be embarrassed.
In January, Skip decided to Google "Ferris LeBlanc". He instantly learned the grizzly details of his uncle's fate and the public’s reaction to the LeBlanc family not claiming Ferris’ body. One can only imagine how his heart raced with every word he read.   Once the shock wore off, Skip was determined to learn more about his uncle's death. Over the past six months, I've gotten to know the family really well. I am absolutely certain that had the LeBlanc family been contacted about Ferris's death in 1973, they would have claimed his body and given him a proper burial. I firmly believe they are not the cold, uncaring family that many people have depicted them to be.
For over four decades, that's the version of of history we've been led to believe about the fate of Ferris LeBlanc. However, there are two sides to every story. The other side of that story remarkably and unexpectedly emerged in January of this year: I received an email from Skip Bailey, Ferris LeBlanc's nephew, son of Marilyn LeBlanc Downey. He revealed that they just learned of Ferris fate. They learned I was producing a documentary about the fire, UPSTAIRS INFERNO. They asked for help with their research about Ferris.
Eighty-five year old, Marilyn LeBlanc Downey, one of Ferris' younger sisters, Skyped me (yes, Skype), to reminisce about him. Only a few weeks had passed by since she learned the news about her dear brother. She was still visibly shaken. However, when asked if she and her family had an issue with her brother being gay, she flashed a warm smile and said, "of course not, we're French"!  According to Marilyn, his brothers and sisters deeply loved and embraced Ferris unconditionally.   His sexuality was never an issue, even in the 60s and 70s.  Ferris never hid his boyfriends from his family and they welcomed the couples lovingly.
During our chat, the first question that came to my mind was, "it's been 42 years. How are you just now learning about Ferris' death?" It almost seems incomprehensible that after four decades, they didn't know what happened to him.
The LeBlanc family is very large. Skip and his Mom assumed that if anybody discovered information about Ferris' whereabouts or fate, they would've let them know. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Over the years, some family members learned of his fate, but never told Marilyn. While Ferris was very close to his brothers and sisters, a bad business deal left him estranged from his family. He left California and the family lost contact with him. Whether driven by embarrassment, fear or something different, Ferris never let his family know where he moved. Marilyn missed her favorite brother immensely. She said for years after Ferris left, they tried to locate him.  

LeBlanc Brothers & Sisters

[Ferris is 3rd from the left]

Photo credit: Skip Bailey & Marilyn LeBlanc Downey

via Camina Entertainment

This family wants (and deserves) an opportunity to set the record straight: It wasn't embarrassment or shame that stopped them from claiming Ferris' body. Living in California, they simply did not know he had passed away.
Sadly, the heartbreak and turmoil for the family didn’t stop with the news of Ferris' death.  No one knew for certain where Ferris and the three unidentified males were buried. It was reported that they were buried in the “New Orleans Pauper Cemetery”. But where was that?

Ferris’ sister, Marilyn LeBlanc Downey visiting the Up Stairs Lounge Memorial in May 2015

Photo credit: Camina Entertainment

For years, Holt Cemetery has been referenced as the "pauper cemetery" in question. However, when Skip questioned officials at the cemetery on whether or not Ferris and the others were buried there, he was told those records were destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. However, that wasn't the only rumor circulating about the location of the “pauper cemetery”. There was another rumor that the cemetery was actually in New Orleans East, at Resthaven Cemetery.  Skip pursued this lead. Remarkably, he found that Resthaven had a record for a Ferris LeBlanc from 1973. The family finally had comfort of knowing where Ferris was buried. However, the roller coaster of emotions continued.  
Skip and his Mom soon learned that the plot of land that once was the pauper cemetery, is no longer managed by Resthaven Cemetery. The land is now managed by the city of New Orleans. The area is fenced off and locked. Nothing inside this chain-link fence resembles a cemetery:  overgrown grass; cypress trees with Spanish moss; no signs; no grave markers. There is no indication that this is the final resting ground for countless souls, including Ferris. Resthaven officials provided them with a panel and lot number, but that did little good, since a map does not exist. They do not know where Ferris is buried on this huge plot of land. I think this is incredibly sad. Who knows how many people are buried in those acres of land? The city of New Orleans' lack of respect and acknowledgement of this hallowed ground seems to imply that the lives of the people buried there, don't matter. Ferris is a veteran of the U.S. Army. Is this how we should treat a veteran who honorably fought for our country? The deceased buried here deserve much more than being anonymously imprisoned within a weed filled chain-link cage.

Abandoned land once known as the New Orleans Pauper Cemetery  (May 2015)

Photo credit: a Camina Entertainment

UPDATE:

As of 2018, despite 3 years of non-stop work, the LeBlanc family isn’t any closer to finding Ferris. According to a source close to the family, Resthaven has ceased cooperation. In fact, representatives from the cemetery have gone on the defensive, refuting the claim that Ferris and the three unidentified victims are buried there. This is despite the fact that in 2015, it was a Resthaven representative who confirmed the cemetery had information pertaining to the burials and provided the family with the specific burial information, “Panel Q Lot 32”. Neither the city of New Orleans nor Resthaven Cemetery are able to produce maps that indicate where that panel and lot are actually located. Each entity claims that the other is responsible for those records. As a result, the search for Ferris and the three unidentified victims is in gridlock.
Until the responsible parties stop passing the buck and produce a map or detailed records for the pauper cemetery, we may never know WHO all is buried here and where. So far, it seems like the city of New Orleans and Resthaven are okay with erasing these souls from history.

LEARN MORE:

WATCH the critically acclaimed documentary, UPSTAIRS INFERNO on DVD, Blu-ray or Streaming through Amazon Video Prime and more. Narrated by New Orleans own New York Times best-selling author Christopher Rice, UPSTAIRS INFERNO (96 min) is a mesmerizing mix of crime drama and human connections that captures the heartbreaking feelings of unconditional love and overwhelming loss. An unsettling snapshot of what was, until the early hours of June 12, 2016, the “Largest Gay Mass Murder in U.S. History”, UPSTAIRS INFERNO gets inside the hearts and minds of a handful of vibrant people who experienced one of the most important and underreported moments in LGBT History.
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WATCH the UPSTAIRS INFERNO Post Screening Q&A in Phoenix, AZ, as Skip Bailey and Reverend John Gill (a member of the clergy delegation that traveled to New Orleans after the deadly arson) discuss their emotional journeys.
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Ferris LeBlanc

Photo credit: Skip Bailey & Marilyn LeBlanc Downey

via Camina Entertainment

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