Ohio man who challenged gay marriage ban dies

10/22/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS

CINCINNATI  — A man who helped lead a challenge to Ohio’s ban on gay marriage has died.

A funeral home director and the attorney for John Arthur confirm that he died early today at home. He had suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Arthur and his longtime partner, James Obergefell, flew to Maryland in June to marry. They then sued for recognition of their marriage in Ohio so they can be buried next to each other in Arthur’s family plot.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Black found in favor of the couple. He wrote that they deserved to be treated with respect and that Ohio law historically has recognized out-of-state marriages as valid as long as they were legal where they took place, citing marriages between cousins and involving minors.