Can a will written on a piece of wood be considered as a legal document? Isn't it seems to be a filmy story? Yes, it is a story but a true one. It is the story of Marilyn S. Rhodeback. Mr. Rhodeback and his wife were living in Florida. In the year 1996 Mr. Rhodeback passed away without leaving a will behind. Mrs. Rhodeback felt puzzled and she immediately decided that she needs to take some action so that everything falls into places. She didn't waste time, not even a single moment. When she realized the urgency of her task she meant to do it right away. She wrote a will immediately.
Marilyn couldn't find a piece of paper and she just grabbed the nearest thing to write her will and it was nothing but a piece of wood. The wood was a left over from a shelf. Marilyn grabbed the 14" x 14" piece of wood and wrote the will on it.
It is true that your Florida probate attorney will not advise you to follow the same procedure. But the credit should be given to Marilyn for making a new move, to put her will in a written form.
Since 1996, Marilyn has made changes to that will. She had dated the changes and had her sisters sign the will. Of course she made them sign the final version of the will. Mrs. Rhodeback died at the age of 73. Before she died she called her daughter, who was surprised to discover that her mother was asking her to bring a wooden will to the hospital.
Initially her daughter did not believe that Mrs. Rhodeback was serious. She couldn't believe there was a will written on a piece of wood. Naturally she couldn't find the will when she searched for it for the first time. Finally with lots of effort Debra, the daughter of Marilyn discovered the will written on the wood.
When she brought the will to the hospital everyone was stunned to see it and undoubtedly they took a picture of that 'strange will'. The reaction of the people at the probate litigation court was no different. But it was accepted since it was an original document featuring Mrs. Rhodeback's handwriting.
This is a unique and popular story spread in the circle of probate litigation, Florida. It is the story of Marilyn that has made the probate court declare that any original document will be accepted as legal even if it is not written on a piece of paper.
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