Estate of Luckel

312 P.2d 24, 151 Cal. App. 2d 481
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 4, 1957
Docket22194
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 312 P.2d 24 (Estate of Luckel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Estate of Luckel, 312 P.2d 24, 151 Cal. App. 2d 481 (Cal. Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

151 Cal.App.2d 481 (1957)
312 P.2d 24

Estate of LOUIS LUCKEL, Deceased.
JOHN E. PETTIJOHN, as Administrator with the Will Annexed etc., et al., Appellants,
v.
MYRTLE FRAZEE LUCKEL, Respondent.

Docket No. 22194.

Court of Appeals of California, Second District, Division Three.

June 4, 1957.

*484 Potter & Rouse, Frank Wickhem and Bernard Potter for Appellants.

John N. Hurtt for Respondent.

VALLÉE, J.

Appeal from judgments determining interests in an estate.

Louis Luckel died May 3, 1952, leaving a will and three codicils. The will first bequeaths and devises the testator's furniture, household goods, and a parcel of realty to his wife Myrtle Frazee Luckel, who survived him. The paragraph making these bequests and devises contains this provision:

"It is also my wish that funds or property of my estate be invested or taken to assure her [his wife] during her natural life a monthly income of One Hundred dollars, and in the event the appraised value of my estate shall exceed the sum of $50,000.0 then such monthly sums paid her shall be One Hundred and Fifty dollars, in such manner as the Executors of my estate determine."

It bequeaths $2,500 to Mary Roberts, granddaughter, "being the proceeds of real property belonging of which I was entrusted including interest accrued thereon," and $200 to a Masonic lodge. A devise of realty called "Noah Beery Paradise Troutfarm" was made subject to a life estate in Frank H. Luckel, son, and Adelaide E. Pettijohn, daughter, and their descendants living at the death of the testator. The devisees of the fee in the trout farm renounced the devise.

*485 The first codicil bequeaths the income from the trout farm to the testator's children and their descendants during their lives. The second codicil gives the residue of the estate to Frank H. Luckel and Adelaide E. Pettijohn. The third codicil is not relevant. Frank H. Luckel assigned his interest in the estate to Adelaide E. Pettijohn.

John E. Pettijohn, as administrator with the will annexed, petitioned for a decree determining interests in the estate. He alleged there was a bequest of income to Myrtle Frazee Luckel, surviving spouse, "providing that there should be invested or taken funds or property of said estate not specifically devised to assure her the sum of $100.00 per month during her life." Myrtle Frazee Luckel, surviving widow, filed a statement of her claim alleging that under the terms of the will she was bequeathed $100 a month for and during her natural life; the will provides "funds or property of my estate be invested or taken to assure [her] during her natural life a monthly income of One Hundred dollars"; said annuity accrues from the date of death of the deceased with interest at 4 per cent per annum; said annuity is a charge on the general assets of the estate. Adelaide E. Pettijohn, a daughter of the deceased, filed a statement of her claim alleging that the estate consists of separate property; she and Frank H. Luckel, a son of the deceased, are the residuary legatees; the appraised value of the estate is less than $50,000; the property of the estate, other than the trout farm, is sufficient to assure Myrtle Frazee Luckel an income of $100 a month; she is entitled to the residue of the estate subject to a life estate in the trout farm and subject to the rights of Myrtle Frazee Luckel in the balance of the estate; she is entitled to a life estate together with others, not including the widow, in the trout farm.

The court found that by the terms of the will and codicils the estate is bequeathed and devised as follows: 1. It was the wish of the deceased that funds or property of his estate be invested or taken to assure the widow during her natural life a monthly income of $100 in such manner as the executors may determine. The appraised value of the estate is less than $50,000. 2. To Mary Roberts $2,500, being the proceeds of realty with which deceased was entrusted. 3. To Acacia Lodge Number 438 F. & A.M. $200 to be donated or used for the benefit of the Masonic Orphans Home and Old Peoples' Home. 4. Noah Beery Paradise Troutfarm to the entities named in the will. 5. The residue to Frank H. Luckel and *486 Adelaide E. Pettijohn. 6. In the event the entities named in the will do not accept the devise of the trout farm, the same to pass to Acacia Lodge of Masons and the Masonic Board of Relief, subject to life estates in the children and descendants of deceased. The court further found that: 1. Frank H. Luckel has assigned his interest in the estate to Adelaide E. Pettijohn. 2. The devisees of the trout farm have renounced the devise to them.

The court concluded, among other things, that the will bequeathed an annuity of $100 a month for life to Myrtle Frazee Luckel; the annuity begins as of the date of death of the deceased; and that the $2,500 bequest to Mary Roberts be reduced to the extent that abatement may take place if the residue be insufficient to pay the cost of the annuity.

On May 23, 1956, the court rendered a judgment which decreed: 1. Adelaide E. Pettijohn, Mary Roberts, Frances Jones and Maury Jones have a joint and survivor life estate in the trout farm. 2. The $2,500 bequest to Mary Roberts, or such portion as may be payable, be reduced to the extent that abatement may take place if the residue be insufficient to pay the cost of the annuity for Myrtle Frazee Luckel. 3. "[I]f a petition to purchase an annuity, under Probate Code, Section 584, be filed by an interested party, then the administrator shall use the residue of the estate, rateably reduced to the extent necessary to proportionately pay the bequest of $2,500.00 to Mary Roberts, or as much thereof as may be required to purchase an annuity of $100.00 per month payable to Myrtle Frazee Luckel from the date of death of Louis Luckel to the date of death of Myrtle Frazee Luckel; provided if the amount available be insufficient to purchase an annuity in such amount, then it shall be purchased in an amount for which funds are available, having in mind possible rateable abatement of the $2,500.00 bequest to Mary Roberts; that the accrued and unpaid payments of $100.00 per month to draw interest from the date of death of the deceased Louis Luckel at the rate of 4% per annum, which interest shall be distributed in cash; if sufficient funds be available after payment of such $2,500.00 bequest and purchase of such annuity, then the $200.00 cash bequest to Acacia Lodge shall be paid in full, otherwise such bequest shall abate to the extent that such funds are not available. If no interested party files a petition to purchase an annuity, under Probate Code Section 584, then the court retains jurisdiction to determine distribution *487 of the estate...." 4. Adelaide E. Pettijohn is entitled to the residue of the estate.

On July 3, 1956, the court rendered an amended judgment. This judgment contains all the provisions of the judgment of May 23, 1956 and adds this:

"Myrtle Frazee Luckel is bequeathed, and she is entitled to, an annuity of $100.00 per month, payable to her from the date of the death of the deceased Louis Luckel to the date of her death; and that said Myrtle Frazee Luckel is entitled to interest on all accrued and unpaid payments of $100.00 per month, payable in cash, from the date of death of said decedent, at the rate of 4% per annum."

The administrator, Adelaide E. Pettijohn, and Mary Roberts appeal from both judgments. [1] We deem the judgment of May 23, 1956, to have been superseded by the judgment of July 3, 1956.

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Bluebook (online)
312 P.2d 24, 151 Cal. App. 2d 481, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/estate-of-luckel-calctapp-1957.