Some of Pride parade's loudest cheers came in response to Jim Deva photos

Anyone who knew Jim Deva will take pleasure in how he was remembered in the streets of his adopted city of Vancouver.

The cofounder of Little Sister's Book and Art Emporium was honoured with huge posters in today's Pride parade.

And these images generated some of the loudest applause of the day.

Last September, Deva died after falling from a ladder in his yard, which shocked his friends and those who had come to respect him, including Mayor Gregor Robertson and then police chief Jim Chu.

Deva, who was raised in Alberta, created a safe space for LGBT people in his West End bookstore in an era when it wasn't always safe in the streets.

He also played a leading role in mobilizing the community after the deadly gay bashing of photographer Aaron Webster in 2001.

Seeing the huge photos of Deva reminded me of another LGBT hero who was honoured in similar fashion at the 2012 Pride parade.

David Holtzman, former director of operations and human resources at Out on Screen, died of a heart attack in April 2012.

It came a month after he and his partner, Peter Regier, had testified that they had been beaten in a notorious gay-bashing.

Holtzman was very well-known in the community for his outspoken advocacy against hate crimes.

So when the Pride parade arrived later that year, organizers ensured that he wasn't forgotten.

Holtzman's face appeared on huge placards and this, too, generated a tremendous emotional outpouring from the crowd.

In their own ways, Deva and Holtzman each helped Vancouver become a more humane and inclusive city.

I, for one, hope Pride parade organizers consider tributes like this in the future when those of a similar stature pass away.