Goodbye Uncle Andrew

About an hour after I got off of the phone with my mother last night, my cousin called me back and informed me that our uncle passed away. I didn't call my mother or my grandmother last night because I didn't know what to say to either of them. I finally gathered enough courage to call my mother today, but I wasn't able to get her on the phone. A few hours after that, I called my grandmother. She sounded fine. She was also in the middle of trying to figure out how to get her sons' body from Chicago to Mississippi. There is also an issue of burial expenses. Its been said that my uncle didn't have an insurance policy. I find that hard to believe. I am wondering if he had a will. Needless to say all of the legal questions came to me. Not that I mind that, but I don't feel comfortable calling my uncle girlfriend asking her about their finances and how she intends to help pay for burial expenses. I don't want to come across as disrespecful in her time of grief, but I do understand why the estate is important. As it stands, Illinois doesn't recognize common law marriage, so their son would inherit my uncle's property. Unless of course there is a will my uncle left that we know nothing about. This is why it's important for people to leave behind a will. That way people don't have to guess about would have made the decedant happy. Of course, if there isn't one, then its a good thing there are laws in place to help resolve nasty battles. It would be something if my uncle intentionally decided not to leave a will and his last lucid thoughts were to let us deal with it after he died. Maybe he figured we needed something to do, or fight over. In any event, I don't plan on doing any fighting for items that aren't mine. I'll sit back and watch. Maybe even referee and make sure nobody gets hit or hurt. That would be some funny shit.

Rest in peace Uncle Andrew....I will always be thinking of you and will miss you.....