Savannah lost another icon and hearts are heavy among the widespread community The Lady Chablis embraced and entertained for so many years.

The Lady Chablis, made famous in John Berendt's best-selling book, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," passed away Thursday morning at Candler Hospital at the age of 59. The Book, as it is known here in Savannah, launched Chablis into the national spotlight and she was later invited to be a guest on "Good Morning America" and was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on her popular daytime talk show.

The Lady Chablis: A Savannah life in photos

In 1996, Chablis penned her autobiography, "Hiding My Candy," and went on to play herself in Clint Eastwood's 1997 movie adaptation of "Midnight." Her continued fame helped bring attention to Savannah's LGTBQ community as well as Club One.

Club One released a statement Thursday morning stating that Chablis was "Club One's very first entertainer, officiating our grand opening in 1988, and paving the way for female impersonation in Savannah. No one, however, could outshine the Grand Empress herself. … She'd be the first to tell you that she stole the show in Clint Eastwood's 1997 adaptation. Since then, thousands of visitors have come to Savannah, visiting the locations in The Book and crowding into Club One to see her."

Chablis continued to perform at Club One for two shows per month, and hundreds of fans and close friends packed the club each year for her birthday party in March.

Travis Coles, general manager for Club One, said Chablis' monthly shows still averaged about 100 guests each and that people would plan their trips to Savannah around her appearance dates. He said he first met Chablis about 12 years ago when he started working at Club One and that their relationship went from a bit chilly in the beginning to a very close family-type relationship. He also said Chablis' health had been poor for a while, and he had been to Candler Hospital earlier in the week to see her.

"She still had a very sharp wit," he said. "I said, 'I love you, Lady,' … and she said, 'Why now?'" He laughed and explained that she always enjoyed being flirtatious and cracking jokes.

Coles said her brash sense of humor was his favorite part of her shows. "She would always say, this isn't a Disney show, so you better strap in. … She wasn't apologetic, either.

"… But, she was also a caring person with a big heart," Coles said. "She treated me like family when my mom and dad came to see a show. She greeted them as her future mother- and father-in-law."

And Coles adds that family, blood related or not, was important to Chablis. "She was always asking how my mom was and checking in on people."

Coles said Chablis' funeral will be a private, family affair, but Club One plans to host a benefit and memorial show that will most likely be scheduled around the beginning of the month to coincide with Chablis' next scheduled appearance since so many people have already made travel arrangements to come to her show on that date.

He says they plan to stay open and continue with normal programming in the coming days.

"This weekend will be pretty somber and sad at the club, but we are looking toward celebrating her life and all the amazing things she did in it.

"… Over the last year, I've been kind of preparing for this day, but it's starting to sink in now. It's always after (a person dies) when you start thinking of all the things you should have said."

A 'Midnight' goodbye

Berendt's book had no shortage of quirky, true-life characters - a voodoo priestess, a man who tied live flies to his lapels and a piano player with an encyclopedic command of 6,000 songs. Chablis was easily the most popular, Berendt said Thursday.

"She's the one that people asked me about most often," Berendt said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "At that time, transsexuals weren't that well known and weren't that well understood. There weren't that many in show business. And she was one of the first to be accepted by a wider audience."

Her birth name was Benjamin Edward Knox, but she legally changed it to The Lady Chablis around the time of the "Midnight" movie.

In his book, Berendt describes first meeting Chablis as she left a doctor's office following her latest estrogen injection. "Her big eyes sparkled. Her skin glowed. A broken incisor tooth punctuated her smile and gave her a naughty look."

Berendt also noted that while Chablis could be playful and humorous, "she had a very tough inner core."

"She would always say, 'Don't be fooled by this dress I'm wearing,'" Berendt said. "When Clint Eastwood announced he was doing the movie, Chablis made an announcement of her own. She said, 'If I'm not cast as myself in that movie, there won't be a movie.' So he cast Chablis as Chablis."

'Forever missed'

And the sadness is being felt throughout the Club One family, especially with Chablis' girls at The Club One Cabaret. The group released a statement Thursday morning: "The Club One Cabaret mourns the loss of the entertainer that paved the way for female impersonation in Savannah, Ga. A trendsetter in the nightclub entertainment industry, Chablis was not only a privilege to work with, but an inspiration to others in our business. As someone who was not afraid to push limits and set the bar higher, her presence will be forever missed."

Club One's statement also added that Chablis has long been a giver to the community. "Throughout the 2000s, she worked closely on various campaigns for the American Diabetes Association, donating thousands of dollars raised by her performances to the cause.

"She was the headlining entertainer for Savannah Pride's inaugural celebration, and hosted their Miss Gay Pride Pageant. She would go on to perform, donate and contribute to many LGBT charities throughout her career."

And a lot has changed as far as acceptance in the LGBTQ community in Savannah during the past 20 years and many people have chimed in on social media about the effect Chablis had on their lives.

Bobby Jeffery, founder of Savannah Pride, released a statement on Thursday to let people in the community know about the impact Chablis had on his organization as well as the impact she had on him.

"I am saddened to learn of the passing of The Lady Chablis. I first met Lady Chablis in 1993 when I came out the closet. I found her to be very entertaining, friendly and caring of the gay community.

"In 2000, during the planning of our very first Pride Festival, we had many critics who didn't want us to be 'so visible.' Chablis was there with words of encouragement. She told us to 'keep on planning,' and 'don't let the critics get y'all down.' She continued to show faith in Pride by being a team player and donating her time and talents to many Pride functions, including hosting our Miss Gay Pride Pageant. Keeping in this spirit, Chablis regularly appeared at Savannah Pride. She would entertain our audience, making sure everyone was having a good time and proud of being part of the LGBTQ family.

"All of Savannah, not just the LGBTQ family, lost a friend with her passing…"

And Coles agreed that Chablis was a trailblazer for Savannah, especially in the black and transgendered community.

"She never wanted to be called a drag queen," he said. "In her shows, she joked that she was a rich white woman. She didn't like labels; she just had a no-nonsense style and attitude that really inspired a lot of entertainers and trans people to live their truth. If nothing else, she was unapologetic; you can either love it or leave it."

And while people lovingly referred to Chablis as The Lady, The Doll or The Grand Empress of Savannah (she also liked to sign her emails TLC), it was the negative labels that Coles referred to that really bothered her. Some of her show guests might be surprised to find that behind that brash sense of humor was a person who was very sensitive.

Pain behind the glamour

When I spoke with Chablis during an interview with Savannah Magazine in March 2013, she explained that certain labels were hurtful to her because she spent much of her youth being bullied for her sexuality. Getting to the point where she was comfortable in her own skin was something she had to fight for-like wanting to be referred to as "she" rather than "he."

In the interview, she said, "You have to remember that there was a time when I was a young, gay black man living in Savannah. That was during a time when the black folks shopped on Broughton Street and all the whites went to the mall. There were no jobs to be had unless you got lucky and your uncle died or a cousin moved away and you could take their job. … Those were hard times for blacks and gays in Savannah, and I try to remind the youth today that they were lucky to have people like me to pave the way. … I don't know what it's like to be a woman, and I don't try to pretend to be a woman. … I just try to be who I am without all the labels people try to put on you."

And in a January 2014 interview with Savannah Morning News, Chablis explained that despite her sassy, confident demeanor, there was a dark side to fame that forced her into hiding.

She said, "After the book came out in Savannah, it was really hard because all my life, since I was like 14 or 15, I had always lived as a girl - not because I wanted to be a woman or anything, but because that is the only way I feel comfortable.

"But all of my life I had been able to go out in public and just be myself and all of the sudden I'm being labeled as the black drag queen, and I had really never heard that before … and it affected me mentally.

"… Like for two years I became a recluse. If I had to fly somewhere, I would fly as 'incog-negro' (Chablis' catchphrase) as possible so no one would recognize me. Finally I just had to own it."

And own it, she did. One of Chablis' last television appearances was on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" in late 2013 when the housewives traveled to Savannah. The diva group stopped by Club One and got schooled by the original diva. She told me the appearance was so successful, that she ended up in talks with Bravo to create her own show. Unfortunately, she became ill and had to slow down. When asked for an update on the show, she wrote to me and said, "Years have passed so suddenly, and all of a sudden I am feeling like a senior citizen. Aches, pains, eyesight, etc. Broke down, yet still The Doll!"

But like Coles said, her body may have worn down, but her mind was sharp as ever right up until the end. It's hard to describe that spirit to people who have never met Chablis, so I will let her own words do the explaining. I think one of the last emails I received from Chablis probably sums up her spirit and attitude best:

"… Like me, don't ever change a thing. (My) motto: I did what I did then, but when I knew better, I did better! I hope all is well with you and your family. Veronica and Jude are so blessed to have a mom like you. Enjoy them now and remember your turn for life's payback is just around the bend. Keep your head to the sky and when people, things or whatever gets in the way, take a deep breath and say from the deepest part of your soul, "TWO TEARS IN A BUCKET-- (Chablis' famous expletive follows)! Trust me, it works. You know how to find me whenever you are ready for that hug. Joy Always, TLC."

-The Associated Press contributed to this story