US: Veteran wins approval to be buried with her wife

Oct 23 2014
Written by Aaron Day

An Idaho woman who filed a lawsuit to be buried with her late wife in the state’s Veterans Cemetery has won her case, after the constitutional same-sex marriage ban was struck down this month.

Madelynn Taylor, a 74-year-old Navy veteran, was unable to be buried with her wife Jean Mixer last year as Idaho did not recognise out-of-state same-sex marriages.

In July, she had filed a suit challenging the “inexcusable” law.

This month, following the ruling against Idaho’s same-sex marriage ban by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Mrs Taylor won her case to be buried with her wife,and filled out the necessary paperwork at the cemetery.

She told the National Center for Lesbian Rights: “Words can’t describe how incredibly grateful I am for all the work that went into making our wishes possible.

“Idaho is where some of our best memories together are and it’s where I want to spend eternity with Jean.”

NCLR legal director Shannon Minte said in a statement: “Now that Idaho must respect all legally married couples, Lee and other same-sex spouses have the security of knowing that the state will treat their relationships equally throughout their lives and beyond.”

Taylor was previously hopeful she would finally be given permission to be buried with her wife in May, following the striking down of the state’s same-sex marriage ban.

However, a mere two days after ban was overturned by a federal judge, an appeals court stayed the decision, stopping weddings a day before they were due to begin.