Mourners gathered Tuesday night at Portland’s Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, filling most of the nearly 3,000 seats, to honor the life of Walter Cole, better known by his stage name, Darcelle. Cole, who died March 23 at age 92, was a well-loved Portland figure and internationally known as “The World’s Oldest Drag Queen.” It was a fitting send-off for someone who has defined Portland for decades. For more than 50 years, Cole donned the makeup, dresses and wigs of Darcelle and entertained visitors to his Old Town nightclub, Darcelle XV Showplace. And Darcelle wasn’t just a performer at the club, she was the master of ceremonies, welcoming other drag queens and dancers to the stage. Read more at the link in our bio. #darcelleXV #darcelle #drag #dragqueen #portland #LGBTQ #restinpeace #waltercold #theoregonian