Vernita Gray, a well-known gay rights activist in Illinois, died of cancer on Tuesday at the age of 65, the Washington Post reported.
According to family friend Jim Bennett, Gray passed away in her Chicago home where she married her wife, Patricia Ewert, in November. According to the Post, their wedding and a judge's ruling paved the way for other same-sex couples to marry in Illinois.
Though Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed a bill legalizing gay marriage, it was not set to be enacted until June 1, 2014. However, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Durkin ordered the Cook County Clerk's Office to give Gray and Ewert a marriage license due to Gray's declining health.
"I was stunned, and I'm still stunned," Gray said of the court victory. "It's like Christmas, my birthday, the tooth fairy all rolled into one."
According to NBC News, Gray was a longtime employee of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. She was first diagnosed with brain and bone cancer in 1996 and dated Ewert for five years.
"Goodbye my beautiful and fierce friend," State Rep. Kelly Cassidy wrote in a Facebook post. "You lived your life fully and honestly and loved more generously than anyone I've ever known. Thank you. Blessings and peace to Pat and everyone who held V in their hearts."
