Edith Windsor (GSAS, ’57), better known as “Edie” to the Master’s College community, passed on September 12, 2017 in Manhattan, New York City.
While it is with a heavy heart that we hear and share this news, we are grateful for Edie’s inspiring ferociousness toward life. A long-time gay rights activist, it was Edie’s landmark case that led the Supreme Court to grant same-sex married couples federal recognition of marriage for the first time. Robert McFadden of the New York Times wrote, “Ms. Windsor had originally gone to court simply to obtain a tax refund. But for thousands struggling for gender equality, the stakes went far beyond tax advantages available to married heterosexuals…[Ms. Windsor] became the lead plaintiff in what is widely regarded as the second most important Supreme Court ruling in the national battle over same-sex marriage rights” (McFadden, 2017).
Edie earned her master’s degree in applied mathematics at the Graduate School of Arts and Science in 1957. Decades later, the GSAS master’s community continues to benefit from her and her timeless work. Just months after the June 2013 Supreme Court declared the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, the Master’s College Alumni Association had the great fortune of meeting Edie in person at the GSAS Dean’s Alumni Luncheon on October 19, 2013 (pictured above).
For the Master’s College community, Edie’s spirit lives on. An ambitious and accomplished scholar, computer programmer, gay rights activist, and all-around wonder, Edie is an exemplary model for what it means to not only be highly educated, but more importantly, be an advocate of truth and sharing knowledge. We remember her today, tomorrow, and beyond.
Read more about Edie from the NYU Alumni Association and about her legacy.
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McFadden, R. D. (2017, September 12). Edith Windsor, Whose Same-Sex Marriage Fight Led to Landmark Ruling, Dies at 88. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/12/us/edith-windsor-dead-same-sex-marriage-doma.html?mcubz=3
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