Secretary Fontes Mourns the Loss of LGBTQ+ Trailblazer and Community Leader Nelda Majors

PHOENIX -Secretary of State Adrian Fontes issued a statement today to honor the life of Arizona LGBTQ+ advocate Nelda Majors, who passed away this week:

"I am saddened by the passing of Nelda Majors, a community leader, a fearless advocate and a friend. Nelda was so brave about who and how she loved that she and her wife helped make marriage equality a reality. After being together for over 50 years, they were among the first LGBTQ+ couples to marry in Phoenix after a federal court found Arizona's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Beyond that legal legacy, Nelda will always be remembered for her warm heart, bright smile, and unmistakable Texan accent. My thoughts are with her many friends and family during this time. We will all miss her."

Nelda and her partner of many decades, Karen Bailey, spoke in favor of marriage equality in 2013 in front of thousands of people on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. They were married when same-sex unions became legal in Arizona in 2014.