Friends To Organise Memorial For Melbourne’s Beloved Drag Queen Miss Candee
Image: Ron Walker aka Miss Candee was known as the “Matriarch of Melbourne Drag and a Living Legend”.
Melbourne’s beloved drag queen Miss Candee’s sudden death earlier this month shocked her many fans from across the words. Friends and fellow drag performers are now coming together to give Ron Walker aka Miss Candee one last farewell.
A memorial will be held for the legendary drag performer at St Kilda Town Hall on Monday August 1, 2022. The celebrations will continue later in the evening at Chasers.
Miss Candee, one of Melbourne’s iconic drag queens, known as the “Matriarch of Melbourne Drag and a Living Legend”, died on the morning of July 16, 2022, aged 68.
“When Ron was Ron, he was Ron. And when she was Miss Candee, she was Miss Candee. Ron was a very private man; Candee was totally outrageous and over the top,” her friends said.
A Long Career In Drag
Miss Candee started dragging at the age of 21 and had a 48-year-long career in drag, working at some of Melbourne’s favourite gay bars, including Inflation, The Xchange, 3 faces, The Cadillac Bar, The Market Hotel, Chasers, The Peel Hotel, The Greyhound and DT’s Hotel.
By day, Ron was a dapper menswear salesperson, and worked at some of Melbourne’s top luxury retail stores.
“Ron Walker was such a well known figure because of his career across a variety of fields,” said friend and colleague of 35 years Barbra Quicksand in a statement.
“As Miss Candee’s appeal and following was so broad, from straight to gay clubs, large and small, from corner pubs to the more avant garde and warehouse parties over a period of four decades, his memorial will be one of the few times such a diverse array of people that knew and loved him / her will be together in one place.”
Miss Candee’s Farewell
Australian actor and stand up comic Joel Creasey, who said he adored Miss Candee, will be the MC for the memorial. “I am genuinely heartbroken. I used to love sitting in clubs’ dressing rooms listening to her stories. It is such a great honour for me to have been asked to be part of Miss Candee’s farewell. I will always love you, Miss Candee,” said Creasey.
Some of Miss Candee’s famous friends, colleagues and admirers from around the world are expected to speak at the event, including video messages.
According to her friends a GoFundMe campaign set up when Miss Candee was admitted to the ICU had raised around $30,000. The money will be now used to cover her medical bills and the costs of the memorial, with any money leftover going to an LGBTQI organisation.
Ron aka Miss Candee’s family – two sisters and a brother – said they were overwhelmed with the outpouring of grief and messages of support, and have extended their thanks to everyone who helped them in their grief.
‘A Life Lived Large – Memorial For Ron Walker Aka Miss Candee’ will he held at St. Kilda Town Hall on Monday 01 August from 4pm-6pm, followed by a Celebration of Miss Candee at Chasers Nightclub from 6.30pm-10.30pm. The memorial will be live-streamed on Facebook, Click here for the link.
