Dealing with death long distance

It saddens me--and the sheer amount of paperwork and questions and issues is amazing. I am doing all the paperwork and plans for my Aunt's death.

My dad, her brother, died without a will or any planning. It took my sister 18 months or so to iron out the issues long-distance. Now--I have the same challenge. She left a will, it is 32 years old, but there is one. Just for perspective, I couldn't drive when she wrote this. She did not tell anyone the name of her lawyer. Thank goodness he was still alive. As next of kin--I am gathering the information needed, but don't have access to a lot o. It is a legal"one-step-at-a-time" dance--first the agreements for the funeral home to do their work, then an official death certificate, and then I can get her navy records pulled for a veteran's burial. We will have to go gather her belongings at some point.

The historian in me wants answers to a lot of the questions about her life. What was her World War II service like? What prompted her to choose the universities she did? Why no apparent partners in her life, or children? I hope she preserved some papers--so I can celebrate her life properly.

Myself
Sorry for you're loss.
I can understand your frustration as I had a similar experience however you are doing what needs to be done,I'm sure as you go along its going to get easier as her lawyer of at least 32 years will guide you through this.
She now has you to complete her journey and being a veteran she is entitled to a few things that someone who did not serve is not,I'm sure her attorney will help you with that,or you can call your local va and ask them the question
Your doing a good thing ,good luck

Thanks, everyone. I made a little progress in IDing the mystery woman yesterday, and got my aunt's service number finally. I was so excited about what I was finding in the library that I completely forget to run a source check on the Navy WAVES from world War II (Women's Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) I did find my aunt on a roll of Navy reserve officers. I also found a college yearbook.

It is amazing what is out there. Be well, all.

I day at time. If you do one task a day or every other day, even if it only takes few minutes, your will make good headway. Don't overwhelm yourself. We were in the same state when Johns aunt passed. He had not idea he as the POA. took us 2 months to find the lawyer.

19months to settle the estate and we still have 4 pieces of jewelry to be priced and sold. The worth a lot according to the outdated and unpaid/cancelled insurance papers in the envelopes we found them in.

Just can't face handling this and the taxes.... we found them AFTER settlement!

Peace
Trina