15 Facts About Laurel Hester

Laurel Anne Hester was a police lieutenant with the Ocean County, New Jersey Prosecutor's Office, who came to national attention with her deathbed appeal for the extension of pension benefits to her domestic partner.

Laurel Hester's battle was shown in Freeheld, the winner of the Academy Award for Best Short Documentary, and the feature film of the same name, in which Hester is portrayed by Julianne Moore.

Laurel Anne Hester was born in Elgin, Illinois, and grew up in Florham Park, the daughter of Diana and George Hester.

Laurel Hester has two brothers, former Wall Street executive George II and retired Senior Foreign Service Officer James, and a sister, real-estate agent Lynda D'Orio.

Laurel Hester would continue to write articles advocating LGBT rights for The Argo until her graduation in 1977.

Laurel Hester was then hired in Ocean County, New Jersey as a police officer.

Laurel Hester spent 23 years there, becoming a detective in the Ocean County prosecutor's office, where she worked on a variety of cases.

Laurel Hester was one of the first women to achieve the rank of lieutenant in her department and was greatly respected by her fellow officers.

In 1999, Laurel Hester met Stacie Andree at a volleyball game in Philadelphia.

Laurel Hester was 19 years older than Andree, and the two women soon fell in love.

Laurel Hester was a Detective in the Ocean County prosecutor's office when she was diagnosed with rapidly spreading lung cancer.

Laurel Hester died on February 18,2006, aged 49, in the home she shared with her partner, Stacie Andree.

Laurel Hester's cancer metastasized, spread to her brain, and it became clear that she had little time to live.

Laurel Hester lived with and jointly owned a house with her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree, who would not be able to afford mortgage payments upon Laurel Hester's death.

Laurel Hester appealed to local authorities to change this policy, and was supported by the local Policemen's Benefit Association.