I’ve sat on this for several weeks knowing I would eventually share two stories with the Prime community. I hope the second part of the story opens your eyes to take action if you've been thinking about it or just putting it off.
Part 1. October 15th, my Dad of 93 years passed away. Losing any loved one is difficult. Not only was he my Dad, he was also what I consider an American hero, like many of his day. After growing up on a Texas ranch, he entered the Army Air Corps and became a pilot and entered the fight to stop Nazi Germany. We all know of the Memphis Bell story where the crew was allowed to go home after 25 combat missions. Well, my Dad flew modified B-24s out of North Africa. He selected his crew much like Pappy Boyington, selecting misfits, but who were great at what they did. His missions were the prelude to today’s Special Operations. Low level at night, in occupied German territory, landing into fields where someone would hold a flashlight at one end to show the landing area and one at the other telling him, that’s the end of a makeshift runway in an open field. They off loaded “special agents”, currency in diamonds and gold for the underground and picked up downed crews and other “special agents”. Many of these flights were prior to the Normandy invasion and France’s liberation. So after his 25th mission, his skills were something the Army wouldn’t let go of. If any of you know WWII history, you will know the challenge we had taking out Polesti, the Romanian oil fields which fed the German machine. Our losses were so high we gave it up as a target. On a single mission, over 300 planes went in with 50% or higher losses. He flew missions against Polesti. My Dad was awarded several medals, they included The Air Medal with 11 devices, the Croix de Guerre with Gold Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. The Croix de Guerre was personally pinned on by Charles de Gaulle. Before my Dad returned home to ranching, he completed 56 combat missions and was shot down twice. He eventually reentered the Air Force and flew various aircraft to include the B-36 and B-52. Twice he and his crew won the General LeMay Navigation and Bombing Trophy, out of all Strategic Air Command bomber crews. Needless to say he was my idol and may he rest in peace.
Part II. My Dad remarried in 1976 and she survived him. My Dad was the last living heir to my relative’s estate. They lived in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Colorado. They were speculators who staked their claims and were rewarded with oil and gas and mineral rights. This wealth was passed to him. He spent the mid 1990s finding his inheritance. My Dad’s wish was to place these royalties and wealth in a Living Trust, to be shared and handed down thru the generations. The reality was he was inflicted with dementia that slowly progressed in the late 1990s and coupled with a stepmother with her own agenda, the Living Trust was never prepared and his wealth was absorbed by her. So far it appears there isn’t a will, but one really isn’t needed, as she had already taken it all before he passed. Today we are left with upcoming court proceedings to recover our inheritance.
We shouldn’t be in the position we are, but we can’t go back and change anything except do what we can in the present. If you have parents and especially if you have parents that remarried and there are personal treasures in addition to monetary assets, they need to get their Will or Living Trust, Power of Attorney and Living Will completed. If you haven’t then you need to do this for your family. Your family needs these documents in hand to inhibit any coercion or other acts to take them from your family. We have learned in Oklahoma, a stepmother is no more that a single entity. I have two brothers and sisters, so including myself is five, with our stepmother she is six. Therefore she is only entitled to 1/6 of the assets. There is a lot more to this as it unfolds in the months ahead. I hope this is informative and gives you something to think about and to take action on.
Part 1. October 15th, my Dad of 93 years passed away. Losing any loved one is difficult. Not only was he my Dad, he was also what I consider an American hero, like many of his day. After growing up on a Texas ranch, he entered the Army Air Corps and became a pilot and entered the fight to stop Nazi Germany. We all know of the Memphis Bell story where the crew was allowed to go home after 25 combat missions. Well, my Dad flew modified B-24s out of North Africa. He selected his crew much like Pappy Boyington, selecting misfits, but who were great at what they did. His missions were the prelude to today’s Special Operations. Low level at night, in occupied German territory, landing into fields where someone would hold a flashlight at one end to show the landing area and one at the other telling him, that’s the end of a makeshift runway in an open field. They off loaded “special agents”, currency in diamonds and gold for the underground and picked up downed crews and other “special agents”. Many of these flights were prior to the Normandy invasion and France’s liberation. So after his 25th mission, his skills were something the Army wouldn’t let go of. If any of you know WWII history, you will know the challenge we had taking out Polesti, the Romanian oil fields which fed the German machine. Our losses were so high we gave it up as a target. On a single mission, over 300 planes went in with 50% or higher losses. He flew missions against Polesti. My Dad was awarded several medals, they included The Air Medal with 11 devices, the Croix de Guerre with Gold Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. The Croix de Guerre was personally pinned on by Charles de Gaulle. Before my Dad returned home to ranching, he completed 56 combat missions and was shot down twice. He eventually reentered the Air Force and flew various aircraft to include the B-36 and B-52. Twice he and his crew won the General LeMay Navigation and Bombing Trophy, out of all Strategic Air Command bomber crews. Needless to say he was my idol and may he rest in peace.
Part II. My Dad remarried in 1976 and she survived him. My Dad was the last living heir to my relative’s estate. They lived in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Colorado. They were speculators who staked their claims and were rewarded with oil and gas and mineral rights. This wealth was passed to him. He spent the mid 1990s finding his inheritance. My Dad’s wish was to place these royalties and wealth in a Living Trust, to be shared and handed down thru the generations. The reality was he was inflicted with dementia that slowly progressed in the late 1990s and coupled with a stepmother with her own agenda, the Living Trust was never prepared and his wealth was absorbed by her. So far it appears there isn’t a will, but one really isn’t needed, as she had already taken it all before he passed. Today we are left with upcoming court proceedings to recover our inheritance.
We shouldn’t be in the position we are, but we can’t go back and change anything except do what we can in the present. If you have parents and especially if you have parents that remarried and there are personal treasures in addition to monetary assets, they need to get their Will or Living Trust, Power of Attorney and Living Will completed. If you haven’t then you need to do this for your family. Your family needs these documents in hand to inhibit any coercion or other acts to take them from your family. We have learned in Oklahoma, a stepmother is no more that a single entity. I have two brothers and sisters, so including myself is five, with our stepmother she is six. Therefore she is only entitled to 1/6 of the assets. There is a lot more to this as it unfolds in the months ahead. I hope this is informative and gives you something to think about and to take action on.
