The death of
a loved one is naturally a difficult and upsetting time, and as well as the
emotional fallout, there’s a lot to organise. From arranging a funeral to
reading a will and organising a person’s estate and affairs, there’s a lot to
do. Most wills deal with what happens to the deceased’s property, money or
business, but many also layout clauses for specific requests post-death, or who
receives items which are valuable or sentimental.
With this in
mind, there are many wills over the years that have contained some rather
unusual items or requests. From Shakespeare’s famous ‘second-best bed’ to a
touching flower delivery, see below for four of the strangest items or requests
found in wills.
A rose a day
US comedian
Jack Benny included this touching request in his will following his death in
1974. He’d bought his wife Mary Livingston one long-stemmed red rose every day
during their marriage and had made arrangements for one rose to be delivered
each day for the rest of her life.
A fortune for a dog
The
billionaire hotelier Leona Helmsley really loved her dog; so much in fact that
she left a portion of her fortune worth $12 million specifically to her Maltese
dog, Trouble. She also left instructions detailing how her entire $4 billion
fortune should be spent caring for dogs.
The second-best bed
William
Shakespeare famously left his ‘second-best bed’ to wife Anne Hathaway in his
will, with the majority of his estate going to their daughter, Susanna.
Modern-day lawyers suggest that Anne could have challenged the will if this
occurred nowadays, and claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and
Dependants) Act 1975 that Shakespeare had not sufficiently provided for her.
Comic book ashes
Mark
Gruenwald was the respected executive editor of many popular Marvel comics,
including Iron Man and Captain America. When he died in 1996, he made a request
that he be cremated and his ashes mixed into the ink used to print comic books.
His request was fulfilled, and the ink was used to print the first printing run
of the trade paperback compilation of Squadron Supreme.
Whatever
your wishes, it’s important to make an official will to ensure your requests
are fulfilled. If you’re looking for professional will and probate solicitors
in Nottingham and Loughborough, get in touch with the team at Hawley and
Rodgers. We can answer any questions you may have and assist you when it comes
to writing the will itself. For more information, give us a call today or visit the website.
