Ray Vahey (b. May 13, 1938) and Richard Taylor (1925-2006) met in Ohio in 1956. At that
time, Ray Vahey was a recent high school graduate and Richard Taylor was a World War II
veteran managing a toy warehouse in Cleveland. They fell in love the evening they met,
beginning a life partnership that lasted fifty years. During most of their time together,
the couple concealed the true nature of their relationship from family members, work
associates, and some friends.
In 2005, the couple went public with their relationship to help Action Wisconsin—a
statewide organization dedicated to advancing and protecting the civil rights of lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender people—defeat a proposed state amendment to ban civil
unions, domestic partnerships, and marriage for same-sex couples. The couple first spoke on
the issue at Milwaukee's PrideFest in June 2005. Vahey and Taylor contributed their voices
to various hearings and forums until the amendment reached the ballot in November 2006.
After it passed, they continued to speak out and educate the public about its negative
effects.
Vahey and Taylor initially planned to marry on September 16, 2006, their fiftieth
anniversary, but Richard Taylor's illness prompted them to move the date forward to May 29,
2006. Richard Taylor passed away on July 28, 2006 from cancer.
