James Hormel, First Openly Gay U.S. Ambassador, Dead at 88: He 'Lived an Extraordinary Life'
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James Hormel, the United States' first openly gay ambassador, has died. He was 88.
On Friday, Hormel died at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
He died with his husband Michael at his side while he listened to his favorite Beethoven concerto, the outlet added. A cause of death has not been revealed.
Hormel is survived by his husband, his children Alison, Anne, Elizabeth, Jimmy, and Sarah, 14 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
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Born in Minnesota on Jan. 1, 1933, Hormel went on to study at Swarthmore College in 1955 before earning a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School in 1958, according to his official biography from the U.S. State Department.
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Hormel then served as an alternate representative to the U.S. delegation to the 51st United Nations General Assembly, and he was also a member of the U.S. Delegation to the 51st U.N. Human Rights Commission, which met in 1995 in Geneva, Switzerland.
In 1997, former President Bill Clinton nominated Hormel to become U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, though he wasn't confirmed at the time, The Hill reported, due to Republican pushback. Two years later, however, Clinton, 74, would go on to appoint him in the role amid a Congressional recess, which he held until 2001.
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Alongside his political positions, Hormel also co-founded the Human Rights Campaign and helped to fund many ventures surrounding arts, education, and human rights.
Following his death, many remembered Hormel in statements, including Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
"Jim devoted his life to advancing the rights and dignity of all people, and in his trailblazing service in the diplomatic corps, he represented the United States with honor and brought us closer to living out the meaning of a more perfect union," the Clintons said in a joint statement, according to the Chronicle.
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Pelosi, 81, who officiated Hormel's wedding to his husband, said that he "made it his mission to fight for dignity and equality for all," adding, "Jim's extraordinary life will always serve as a beacon of hope and promise for LGBTQ children across our country and around the world."
Feinstein, 88, meanwhile, said in a social media statement: "San Francisco lost a great friend today. A philanthropist, civil rights pioneer and loving spouse and father, James Hormel lived an extraordinary life and will be deeply missed by many."
