Niki Quasney—the Munster, Indiana, woman who, along with her wife Amy Sandler—became one of the most prominent figures in the movement last year to legalize same-sex marriage in the state, has died at age 38, the Indy Star reported.
She died Feb. 5, more than five years after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Last spring, a federal judge granted an emergency request to recognize their Massachusetts marriage, a decision that made them the first—and, for a time, only—legally married same-sex couple in the state. The order led to widespread recognition of same-sex couples in Indiana, and it has been legal throughout the state since last October.
Lambda Legal ( which has Quasney as a plaintiff ) issued a statement. Staff attorney Paul Castillo said, in part, "Niki spent the last year of her life on earth very publicly fighting for her family and doing everything she could to make sure that her wife and daughters were protected. Although our hearts are heavy, we celebrate Niki's life and take comfort in knowing that Niki and her family were able to know—through their own efforts—what equality feels like.
"We thank Niki and Amy for their courage to stand up for their family and lead the fight for marriage in Indiana. We all owe them an enormous debt of gratitude."
The original article is at www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/02/08/munster-woman-indianas-st-sex-marriage-dies/23050723/ .
From a Lambda Legal Press Release
Lambda Legal Mourns the Loss of Indiana Marriage Plaintiff Niki Quasney
(Chicago, IL, February 8, 2015) — On Thursday, February 5th, after more than five years of battling ovarian cancer, Lambda Legal plaintiff Niki Quasney, 38, passed away with her wife, Amy Sandler, her mother and 5 siblings by her side. Paul Castillo, Staff Attorney at Lambda Legal issued the following statement:
"Niki and Amy and their daughters became Indiana's first family when they bravely joined Lambda Legal's marriage case, which meant openly sharing very personal and painful parts of their journey together as Niki battled cancer. They brought this case and fought so hard because they loved each other and wanted their daughters to be treated with respect, just like any other family in Indiana. They also fought for all same-sex couples and their children in Indiana. They never wanted to be alone in recognition of their family. They knew that by coming forward they could help accelerate equality for all same-sex couples in Indiana by demonstrating the urgency of their need for equal dignity.
"To date, this marriage case was the fastest from filing to victory through a federal circuit court. The courts were touched by Niki's and Amy's story, and accelerated not just Indiana's marriage cases, but Wisconsin's as well. The opinion from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals was one of the most scathing attacks on marriage bans from a court. Niki and Amy's bravery made history.
"Niki told the court: 'If my life is cut short because of ovarian cancer, I want our children to know that their parents were treated like other married couples in their home state, and to be proud of this. I want to know what it feels like to be a legally recognized family in our community, together with Amy and our daughters.'
"Niki spent the last year of her life on earth very publicly fighting for her family and doing everything she could to make sure that her wife and daughters were protected. Although our hearts are heavy, we celebrate Niki's life and take comfort in knowing that Niki and her family were able to know — through their own efforts — what equality feels like.
"We thank Niki and Amy for their courage to stand up for their family and lead the fight for marriage in Indiana. We all owe them an enormous debt of gratitude."
