Laurel Hester, the 49-year-old police officer who fought and won a tough battle with the Ocean County freeholders in order to leave her pension benefits to her partner, lost her battle with cancer over the weekend.
The Freeholders, after refusing Hester’s numerous requests to extend the benefits to her partner, finally relented at the end of January following a huge amount of pressure put on them by blogs, media, activists, and Hester’s unlikely Republican ally Dane Wells.
Hester won her battle, a small but important triumph in the ongoing battle for marriage equality in this country. Hester’s partner, Stacie Andree, was at her side when she died. Said Andree: “I knew today was going to be the day. She was in a hospital bed and I was was an arms length away. I believe your hearing is the last to go and I just kept talking to her. I told her she was going to see her mom.”
Sad Battle of Bigotry Playing Out in New Jersey [tr]
Good News: Ocean County Bigots Relent [tr]
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Laurel Hester Died This Morning [bgp]
