Of Death, Desperate Relatives, Disappointment and Destroyed memories

A family friend's Mom passed away a couple of weeks ago. A hardworking woman she was, who since her 30's (she died at 72 years), was winning accolades left, right and centre for her capabilities and competences in innovative farming methods from which she received above average yields. So you can imagine what she had accumulated by herself from her sweat over the years.

Together with her husband, they had succeeded in raising several children who went on to become very successful in their own right. They pampered her until one time she called a meeting and advised her children to 'stop sending gifts', because what she had was enough.

She had a city home and a rural home and it was at the rural home that she thrived in animal husbandry and cropping of all sorts. A few years ago she won the "Small Holder Farmer of the Year" award, over and above the other awards she had won over the years.

A few weeks ago, she asked her daughter for a piece of paper and pen as she wanted to write her will because it was her wish, in the event of her death, to have ALL her excess assets distributed to her grandchildren. The daughter refused because she thought it was a morbid idea (many black Africans are uncomfortable talking about death, particularly with their parents).

A few days later, she died of a massive heart attack.

In a nutshell, before her burial (in Zimbabwe they bury those who have passed on within 2 and usually not more than 4 days unless they are waiting for those travelling from overseas), her relatives which the children had never seen before in their lives had cleared everything from her clothes, matrimonial beds, curtains in both homes, televisions, pots, carpets, tractors, ploughs, in essence, all farming equipment. They wanted to remove the solar panels on the rural home but found the connections too complicated to tamper with.

Our friend is distraught. None of the children wanted their Mothers' assets because they have enough of their own. They just wanted most of the things to remain intact so that when they visit home, visit their Dad, the memories of their inspiring, hard working Mom would still be on exhibit. All those memories have now been destroyed. They feel violated, the memory of their Mom disrespected and are completely disappointed. 

Moral of this abridged story : write a will now :)