American Roman Catholic priest who came out as a transgender woman. At the time of her transition she was still considered a priest even after having resigned from official church roles, due to her never being returned to lay status. In this capacity she is considered by some to be the first official woman priest in the history of the Catholic Church and is the first openly transgender Catholic priest.
As William, Griglak was ordained a priest on 31 May 1959, working as a preacher, pastor, psychologist, state administrator and athletic director. Griglak left the ministry after 13 years and married, trying to deny her female identity.
When she came to a decision about her life, speaking of her “appointment with destiny,” she had her hair removed by electrolysis, went on hormone treatments and had sex reassignment surgery on 12 April 1979 in Trinidad, Colorado. Griglak then assumed the name Nancy Ledins.
In 1996 she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and joined Wedgewood Church, an LGBT affirming Christian congregation affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA and the United Church of Christ. She served as a minister at Wedgewood, where she preached, sang in the choir, served the Eucharist, and performed baptisms. She also worked as an electrologist and a tax preparer. In 1977 and 1978 she served as the coordinator for the Fantasia Fair. She died in Charlotte on 18 July 2017, aged 84.
Link to Wikipedia biography