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WEKU
The Associated Press

Darcelle, the world's oldest working drag queen, has died at 92

Susan Stanley Portland the Guinness Book of World Records Ore
Walter Cole, better known as the iconic drag queen who performed for decades as Darcelle, performs in Portland, Ore., in this September 2019 photo. (Beth Nakamura/AP)

PORTLAND, Ore. — Walter Cole, better known as the iconic drag queen who performed for decades as Darcelle XV and a fearless advocate for Portland's LGBTQ+ community, has died of natural causes in Portland, Oregon. He was 92.

Darcelle, who died Thursday, was crowned the world's oldest working drag performer in 2016 by the Guinness Book of World Records and was regaling audiences until the very end. As a performer, Darcelle was known for hosting the longest-running drag show on the U.S. West Coast. Off stage, Cole, an Army veteran, championed LGBTQ+ rights and charitable work in Portland.

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