Edra Bogle Obituary (1934 – 2021) – Denton, TX – Denton Record-Chronicle – Legacy.com
Edra Charlotte Bogle, 87, of Denton, Texas, passed away September 13, 2021, at Fairhaven Denton. She was born in Des Moines, IA, January 4, 1934, the only child of John Paul and Mary Mildred (Hastings) Bogle. Her grandmother, Julia Eaton, helped raise her. She is predeceased by her immediate family as well as her friend, companion, and husband, Tom Cain.
Edra received a B.A. (Iowa State Teachers College/University of Northern Iowa, 1956); a Masters of Library Science (Columbia University); and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature (University of Southern California, 1968).
She was a member of the faculty of the English Department at the University of North Texas 1970-2004, where her service included a turn as the first coordinator of women’s studies. She served on the English Department Steering Committee and the Faculty Senate. Edra was one of the first faculty members in Texas to come out publicly as an LGBTQ+ person.
Edra frequently presented papers at and served in a variety of elected positions for the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA). She was Editor for the Gay Caucus of the MLA and honored with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Who’s Who in Library Science and Higher Education. Additionally, she was an indexer for the Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature 1972-1984, and associate editor of the 3rd edition of Halkett & Laing’s Dictionary of Anonymous & Pseudonymous Literature in 1980.
Edra was an active member of the Denton chapter of National Organization for Woman (NOW) and participated in the Dallas Gay Alliance and the second Texas Gay Conference in Austin. She also helped revive the Denton Gay Alliance at UNT.
1986-87, Edra co-chaired the Lesbian/Gay Democrats of Texas and led Denton County’s Rainbow Coalition for Jesse Jackson for President in the1988 Democratic Primary. She helped create the Denton Chapter of the Stonewall Democrats and became their first president. She also served as precinct chair of the Denton County Democratic Party for several years, and as County Chair 2003-2006. She ran for the State Board of Education in 2006.
A memorial gathering will be held at a later date. Please contribute to an LBGTQ+ organization of your choice in her honor.
Published by Denton Record-Chronicle from Oct. 9 to Oct. 10, 2021.