Marla Krolikowski was better known at her workplace as Mr. K. Mr. K. was a teacher at St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, Queens for 32 years before a complaint by one lone parent about the teacher's feminine appearance caused administrators to go ballistic.

Mr. K, for as long as we have known him, has always donned several gold hoop earrings, dyed hair, fashionable (but appropriate and professional) clothing, and well-manicured nails. This was never an issue amongst his students or their parents until that one student’s mother complained to the school.

His long track record of spectacular teaching seemed to carry no weight when a lone parent complained about his ‘feminine’ appearance back in 2011.

--Cristina Guarino, former student

Krolikowski was fired from her teaching job for "insubordination" in 2011, but fought back.

Marla Krowlikowski collapsed on September 20 and was taken to Nassau Communities Hospital, where she died. No cause of death has yet been determined. She was 62.

Perhaps it was a broken heart.

Ms. Krolikowski’s firing prompted her to file a well-publicized lawsuit that ended in a confidential settlement. She and her allies saw the outcome — as well as a state judge’s decision to let the suit proceed in the first place — as a victory.

Although his appearance was unconventional, he always dressed in a suit and tie and his dress and personal grooming had never been an issue.

--Andrew Kimler, the teacher's lawyer

The 2012 lawsuit noted that in 2008 "Mark Krolikowski had co-directed the school orchestra when it performed for Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to the city."

But Ms. Krolikowski, who was described in the court papers as anatomically male, recalled that at a meeting in October 2011 school officials had said she was “worse than gay” and had barred her from public events.

Ms. Krolikowski agreed to “tone down” her appearance, the suit said, but eight months later was told by the officials, who continued to regard her as a man, that she was insubordinate for not altering her appearance to their satisfaction, and they demanded her resignation.

She was fired for appropriate nondiscriminatory reasons. She was insubordinate.

--Philip Sempreviro, lawyer for the school at that time

The judge was skeptical of that.

Insubordination after 32 years of teaching? And the insubordination seems to coincide with the expression of being transgender?

--Justice Duane A. Hart, State Supreme Court in Queeens

Justice Hart urged the parties to settle the case, which they did in December 2013. Terms were not disclosed.

Alex Maureau, who graduated from St. Francis in 2004, said that more than 14,000 people had signed an online petition supporting Ms. Krolikowski. While employed by the school, she taught music at first, and later, courses called Social Justice and Human Sexuality and Love.

Ms. Krowlikowski grew up in Stony Brook, Long Island. She received a BA in music from Nazareth College in Rochester and an MA from CW Post-Long Island. She lived in Bellport NY. She is survived by her wife, the former Thea Siebold, her mother, and a brother, David.

After leaving St. Francis, she went to work at Estée Lauder, the cosmetics company, training new employees. She retired a few weeks ago, her wife said.