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Lady Soul’s legacy

7/13/2023, 6 p.m.
Many of us have experienced family feuds upon the death of a loved one. Often, before the dearly departed’s body ...

Many of us have experienced family feuds upon the death of a loved one. Often, before the dearly departed’s body “is cold,” as they say, fights, both physical and verbal, occur.

The reason? Money.

Mad scrambles to find insurance policies, wills or even cash stuffed away in grandma’s closet have played out in families—rich, poor and in all colors.

In the case of Aretha Franklin, the late, great Queen of Soul, talks about her will and estate made almost as much news as her wardrobe changes during her days-long funeral services five years ago.

Disputes among her offspring about the legitimacy of her wills wound up in a Pontiac, Mich., courtroom. A jury swiftly delivered its decision two days ago.

The verdict?

A document handwritten by singer Aretha Franklin and found in her couch after her 2018 death is a valid Michigan will, a jury said Tuesday, a critical turn in a dispute that has turned her sons against each other, according to various news reports.

The discovery signaled a victory for two of her sons, Kecalf Franklin and Edward Franklin, whose lawyers had argued that papers dated 2014 should override a 2010 will that was discovered around the same time in a locked cabinet at the Queen’s home in suburban Detroit.

Kudos to the jury for arriving at a quick decision in just two days.

Now, perhaps, Ms. Franklin can rest in peace, knowing that she forever will be cherished and remembered by her adoring fans, while leaving a layer of security for her children and grandchildren.

Nick Cannon and Eddie Murphy, you better think, take note and do right.