Stepmother Gave Away My Inheritance, Then Died.
Hello, I’m in Missouri.
I’m going to be as succinct as possible here. I’m also going to confess to being naive.
My father passed away a few years ago and left me a collection of art (paintings) that has been in our family for many years. Just prior to his death he asked me to allow my stepmother, “Jill”, to keep the collection at home for a while after he passed so that it could be”keep her company” while she grieved. Jill and I had enjoyed a great relationship for over 20 years at that point, and I didn’t think anything of it.
Long story short, Jill went bonkers after dad died and made a lot of terrible decisions that I was not aware of. That said, she was competent enough that there was nothing I could do to help her. Apparently, just prior to her own recent death, she gave away the entire collection to her friends, business associates, and her church.
The rest of my nuclear family died when I was a child and Dad, who was not sentimental, gave all their things away. Decades later I have nothing to remember them by. This collection was my chance to have something that tied them together, so to be honest the emotional loss here feels greater than the financial loss.
Of course I understand that it’s unlikely that I’ll see any of it ever again. I don’t even know who I would reach out to. I know the name of her church, and one business she was associated with. I have put my feelers out for an estate lawyer, at the recommendation of a friend, but I’m in over my head here. Is there something else I ought to be doing?
Thank you very much.
Edit:
My father did have a will, and he did specify that the art was for me. Also, Jill left nothing at her death. She had spent everything left to her and given away any possessions that were meaningful to her.
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