As states such as Tennessee move to restrict drag shows in public, the joyful extravagance of Darcelle was widely embraced in Portland as a symbol of the city’s tolerance and quirkiness.
He turned a run-down tavern into a drag cabaret that became a hub and a fund-raising powerhouse for the L.G.B.T.Q. community as well as a beloved Portland, Ore., institution.
Walter Cole was known to the world as Darcelle, and was recognized as the world’s oldest performing drag queen. The performer, who became a Portland icon for gay rights and supported many local charities, has died.