Everything will be sold

Along those lines, when I was diagnosed with cancer I told my wife if the treatments didn't go well she could always use the planes, hangars, etc., as bait. To which she said: "What makes you think I'd want another pilot???" Can't add much to that!

Jeff

Then there is the story of the man who had a big scare with a malignancy, was able to beat it, and immediately thereafter, filed for divorce. The "everything" he had, mattered little.

The joke is funny, but the reality of it all is it takes a long time to reconcile an estate when someone owns so much.

My dad owned the Bonanza and a private hangar full of tools, oil, jacks, a tug, lawn mowers, tool boxes, bookshelf, chairs, a couch, space heater, ladders, oil filters, and tons of momentos from 30 years of destinations.

He also had a shop FULL of construction equipment, a tractor, tools, survey instrument, wood stove, lawn mowers, scaffolding, camping gear, chainsaws, ladders, a billion nails, a million screws, a thousand survey stobs, and hundreds of drill bits.

His closet was full of stuff, a lot of it war memorabilia, plus clothes.

The bookshelf in the office had every houseplan he ever bought, over a hundred houseplan books, every ABS magazine from 1983 til his death, every trade a plane since 1988 when he first began shopping for a Bonanza. It's a lot to go through, and it's an emotional journey.

My mom still calls me, "Come down here and see what I found." And I find out it's something of my dad's.

I am 17 days short of my Día de los Muertos 1 year anniversary. Pancreatic cancer, the "good" kind if there is such a thing, almost took me out but I finally beat it in June and got the all clear in September. Lots of talented nurses, Docs, PAs, NPs, and surgical floor techs, physical and occupational therapists, and even a housekeeper helped me recover.

I spent 2 months recovering and while I could sit upright for a few hours I started organizing and shredding 30+ years of documents that were no longer needed.

I started giving away stuff to friends I have flown with as well as friends whose kids will be flying. Some stuff, like the old E6B calculator that is 20 years old, and was kept for nostalgia, hit the electronics recycling bin. I flew in a Baron with a guy and handed over 3 good LightSpeed headsets I wasn't using, one when I flew with him and 2 when he landed for fuel and let my 9 year old climb on his bird for a few pictures. Flying LSA on Private privileges means that I don't need all those extra headsets. I don't need them for the Cougar or 182 as I no longer bring passengers on instructional flights. It looks too much like 134 1/2 according to the FSDO and I don't want to send a letter and open that can of worms based upon the recent stupidity of decisions from non-aviating attorneys making aviation law that impacts GA. About the only thing that remains is my flight bag, backup paper charts, a logbook, my flight iPad with external battery and LiPo fire bag and gloves, and a pair of headsets.

Last night I packed up old button-down shirts from my time speaking at aviation and technical events in the late 90s, early 2000s and 2010s. A few shirts from amazing dates with SWMBO 18 years are off to help others or become shredded into moving blankets. Suits that no longer fit, mostly used for weddings and funerals, are next.

My next endeavor is to clear my bookshelves of anything I haven't read in a decade or doesn't interest me. Some things, like my mini T-Wall from my time in Iraq or the TwinBo autopilot almost as old as me will get to stay.

Why? Because when this %#$@ returns, I don't want SWMBO or my children burdened with it. Hopefully they have the knowledge to invest my 401k and IRA and turn it into generational wealth before it is stolen by the system. If, for some reason, I outlive them, when I push daisies, it's all going to the MAF so they can use it to help mechanics, pilots and planes go do God's work.

The fellow I bought my RV-6 from (he built it) called me one day and wanted me to come over to his house. I really liked him, he was a Viet Nam A-4 pilot and we got along very well. He wanted me to have his tool chest and tools. He said his son didn’t want them. I couldn’t take them. It just didn’t seem right to me. He was clearly disappointed and my feeling was that I would somehow be taking advantage of him. He passed away not long after that. I had no idea he was ill. In hindsight, I would have accepted his tools graciously, I just didn’t understand his reasoning at the time. It wasn’t about money. He just wanted someone who clearly appreciated what he had and what he created with those tools, to have them. He was a fine gentleman…

Non-pilot acquaintance did the same thing...on an airline flight with pretty severe turbulence, landed safely of course.

Got home that night, told his wife he thought he was going to die on that flight and it was a wakeup call; promptly explained his unhappiness and asked for a divorce.

I asked my wife if she would remarry if I died? She said perhaps. I asked if she and her new husband would live in our house? She said perhaps. I asked if he would use my golf clubs? She said, no, he's a lefty.

This is depressing.... And unfortunately way to real, as we see time marching on..
This is a temporary gig, so enjoy life while you can...
But selling stuff before is for sure a great concept. I would not want to burden my kids with my cr-p... ( Though they won't complain about the cash...)

Like a friend of mine always says... Go ahead and fly First class... If you don't, your kids will...

I always heard it as “it don’t cost anymore to go first class, you just can’t stay as long”….

I live in a small town with an older population, the first sign someone around town died is usually a dumpster in the driveway. All those old Momentos, old furniture, beds, magazines, nick nacks usually end up filling a dumpster so the house can be sold.
I’m 63 and zero health issues, but I’ve been on a purge now for a year and a half with the goal of leaving a somewhat simple situation for my kids when I leave this earth.
The small amount of clothes I have can be boxed up and picked up by epilepsy foundation.
All the other household stuff, and hangar stuff can be handled by a local auction house with one phone call if I don’t have time to get rid of it myself.


Greg

I heard a different version. Was told by a priest many years ago in a small town in NY. I had family there who heard it.

Priest: So a middle aged husband and wife are sitting in the den watching TV. Suddenly the wife says:

Wife: Honey if I die before you, I'm going to leave everything to you and I want you to remarry. I want you to be happy.
Husband: For heavens sake what brought this up. You'll live forever and anyway I'm not getting remarried.
Wife: I'm serious, I've thought about this a lot. I want you to know I expect you to be happy and remarry.
Husband: Ok, Ok, fine I know you want me to be happy, that's wonderful. If I meet someone I'll remarry. I just don't see it happening.

Both go back to watching TV. A few minutes later...

Wife: And you don't have to sell the bed unless she wants to, or my mink. I'm fine if she keeps them.
Husband getting a little exasperated: It's not going to happen but fine, If you die, and if I get remarried I'll keep the bet and let her wear your mink.

Back to watching TV. Then,

Wife; And my Caddy, you don't have to sell that either. I don't care if she keeps it.
Husband: Good lord, honey, fine, I'll let her have your car.

Then again a few minutes later:

Wife: And my Callaways. She can have my clubs. I don't care.
Husband: No I'll have to sell them. She's left-handed.

Priest wrapping up: And that's why you should leave your estate to the Church!

My wife knows my wishes, sell the plane, the rest of the stuff in the hangar, simply open the doors with a big sign that says FREE. All the good folks at my airport will have that place cleaned out in a day.

I wonder who will have my hardware collection of 40 years!! You never know when you’ll need a used AN bolt/nut/washer.

It’s valuable to me, but to her it’s just stuff, pay it forward as best you can.

Russell

My kids don’t want any of my stuff. I am starting to unload all the artwork, Jade Ivory bronze’s and other stuff. It is hard getting rid of things I spent a life time collecting.

This is my hangar office I am cleaning out.

I have a 91 year old tenant who is selling everything. He has a 40X50 hangar full of stuff.
I am helping him dispose most of it.