Rupe, who had a fall earlier in the year and suffered ill health ever since, succumbed to kidney failure early this morning at St Vincent’s Hospital.
Friends had been keeping a bedside vigil for several days. The New Zealand-born drag performer was as well known in her homeland as in Australia. She opened businesses including cafes, nightclubs and brothels in Wellington that were unique for being openly gay and welcoming to all in the community.
The Les Girls performer was also credited as being the first Maori drag queen in the ’50s.
DIVA Awards Committee chair Greg Steele told the Star Observer her death would be widely felt by both the organisation and the wider community.
“She was a Hall of Fame winner for DIVA from 1996 and she was certainly larger than life,” Steele said.
“She had costumes and hair higher than heaven and the personality to match.
“If there was a call for drag queens to be somewhere and lend a hand, she was the first to put hers up. She rarely said no.”
In 2008 a topless Rupe led the Decade of the Divas float at the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras aboard a mobility scooter.
