San Francisco Chronicle - The Voice of the West, 901 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94119 - Saturday, September 6, 1997 - Page A11
Torri Minton, Tanya Schevitz, Aurelio Rojas, Chronicle Staff Writers

The march was called to honor Diana, Princess of Wales, but many participants also paid tribute to Mother Teresa, who died earlier in the day.

And although the march -- organized by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and other groups -- began in the heart of the city's gay community, it drew a cross-section of Bay Area residents.

Lesbian, gay, straight, devout or irreverent, anyone was welcome who wished to say goodbye to the two women whose vast capacity for helping strangers had touched the world's heart. "It is really for the people here," said Joan Huser, 35, of Saratoga, who joined the procession with her year-old son, whom she pushed in a stroller. "It helps them get though the grief and shock. . . . It is such a shame to lose two such incredible women leaders in one week."

Joe Wedman, 36, a psychiatric nurse from Pacifica, said Diana provided succor to the downtrodden and had a selfless quality that is scarce in the modern world. "She was a young person who had spent a lot of her time doing good deeds, specifically helping the HIV and AIDS community, the untouchables," Wedman said. John Harper, a 32-year-old San Francisco real estate broker, said he had been reluctant to join the memorial procession but was coaxed into marching by his girlfriend. "When I got out there, I felt overwhelmed with vibrations of love and unity," he said. "It was amazing. I'm sorry somebody has to die for us to feel that way together, (but) the gay and the straight communities came together. That was the key."

Police initially estimated the crowd to be 3,000 and said it swiftly grew to 14,000. The sea of mourners stretched for blocks. When the throng reached the consulate on Sansome Street, British Vice Consul Kevin Cook addressed the crowd.

The memorial procession "testified to the deep affection with which the princess was held," Cook said. "We are extremely grateful for the warmth of your response. It has stunned us all. It is a comfort to know that our grief is shared."

The three-mile march began shortly before 8 p.m. The procession was led by a group of children who marched behind a truck draped with black, crushed velvet and adorned with floral arrangements of gladiola. A huge photo of Diana rested on the hood.

Some marchers wore white face paint. Others wore traditional black mourning garb. Still others carried a variety of banners and signs. One stretched the width of the street read, "Diana, Queen of Our Hearts." Another was a placard fashioned from a large photo of Diana, bearing the caption "Queen of Queens."

Among the marchers were Stephen Kime and Peter Wathall, who live in Sheffield, England, where they care for the disabled. "We don't mind sharing her," said Wathall. "We knew Americans loved her, but not like this."

The crowd proceeded down Market Street to the Financial District while a kilted piper played "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes. Except for the musical accompaniment, the marchers were largely silent as many used the two-hour walk as time of reflection.

Princess Diana was an icon to many gays who considered her troubles and triumphs emblematic of their own struggles for acceptance and respect.

"I have a great deal of respect for Diana because as a gay person, I know what it's like to stand up for what's right, in the face of adversity," said Ken Bunch, an organizer of the march. AIDS activist Cleve Jones said the princess, by embracing people infected with HIV, "changed the way the world saw AIDS." Many marchers noted that although the princess and Mother Teresa lived markedly different lives, they both gave generously of themselves to people less fortunate. "We're hoping they're watching this together," said Joy Oganeku, a San Francisco librarian.

Shortly before midnight, another crowd gathered outside Grace Cathedral on California Street, where a broadcast of Prince Diana's funeral, telecast live from BBC, was being offered free to the first 275 people.

Elizabeth Marasovic, who is 81, blind and uses a wheelchair, came from El Cerrito with her daughter, Carole, to listen to the four-hour broadcast. "It feels as if we grew up with her in terms of her vulnerability as a person," said Carole Marasovic, who had also watched Diana's wedding years ago on TV. "There was something about her that felt very human to us. She wore her heart on her sleeves."
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