News
2006-01-05
Susan Bergman,
older sister of Anne Heche, dies
The older sister
of actress Anne Heche, who chronicled their father’s
secret gay life, has died of cancer.
Susan Bergman,
the older sister of actress Anne Heche and the author of
an influential book chronicling her father’s secret
gay life, died on Sunday of brain cancer at her home
in Barrington, Ill., according to her husband, Judson.
She was 48.
Bergman’s
1994 book Anonymity chronicled Don
Heche’s unsuccessful battle with AIDS and his
clandestine relationships with men. The discovery of
her father’s sexuality in 1983—the year he
died—led Bergman’s family to a deeper
understanding of each other, she acknowledged at one
point.
Anne Heche,
widely known for her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres,
claimed in her memoir Call Me Crazy that her
father was sexually abusive. Heche is now married to a man
with whom she has a child. Nancy Heche, the sisters'
mother and Don's widow, disputes these claims and now
is actively involved with an "ex-gay" group, which
claims it can "cure" homosexuality.
In addition to
penning Anonymity, Bergman served as a
contributing writer and editor for numerous publications.
She also lectured and taught literature at
Northwestern University, New York University, and the
University of Notre Dame. (Advocate.com)
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