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Aretha Franklin’s Sons Awarded Property Thanks To Will Found In Couch

Author Cort Freeman
Aretha Franklin's sons have been awarded her properties thanks to a will found in her couch (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for The Fox Theatre)

You never know what you might find when digging through your couch cushions. We’ve all been there. Sometimes you need to find some change, maybe it’s that tiny Apple TV remote, or a misplaced phone. Aretha Franklin’s sons have been awarded property thanks to a will from 2014 found between couch cushions.

More than five years after the “Respect” singer’s death, three of her sons have been awarded her real estate thanks to that will that was discovered in an unexpected place. This week, a Detroit judge awarded the properties in question to her sons because of the will that was found.

Aretha Franklin’s Will Found In Couch

According to the Associated Press, due to Michigan law the will was declared valid back in July. That newly discovered will from 2014 overruled another handwritten will that was discovered from 2010.

Franklin’s youngest son Kecalf will receive Aretha’s Detroit home which was valued at $1.1 million back in 2016, according to People. People mentions that a lawyer described the property as Franklin’s “crown jewel.”

Two of her other sons, Edward and Ted White Jr. also inherited properties. According to BBC, White Jr. favored the 2010 will over the 2014 will. He was given a house in Detroit which was sold before the dueling wills were found. His lawyer says he is now seeking the sale proceeds of $300,000.

The 2014 will did not specify who will inherit Franklin’s fourth home, so the judge decided it will be sold and the proceeds will be split between her four sons, according to People.

After the newly discovered will was deemed valid, Kecalf Franklin told The Associated Press, “I’m very, very happy. I just wanted my mother’s wishes to be adhered to. We just want to exhale right now. It’s bee a long five years for my family, my children.”

Aretha Franklin passed away in 2018 of pancreatic cancer. She was 76 years old. At the time of her death, it was believed that she did not prepare a will to divide her belongings, properties (which alone was valued around $6 million), cash, and music copyrights, according to BBC. However, 9 months after her death her niece discovered two separate handwritten documents between couch cushions at the singer’s Detroit home.

The BBC reports that a status conference with a judge is set for this coming January to go over a dispute over how to handle Aretha’s vast assets in music.

Celebrities With Homes In Michigan

Over the years, many celebrities have purchased a home, or even two, in Michigan. Some Michigan homeowners over the years include Muhammad Ali, who had an 81-acre property in Berrien Springs. Or the late Aretha Franklin owned a home in Detroit. Of course, we can’t leave out the late film critic Robert Ebert who had a home in Harbert. There’s Berry Gordy’s “Motown Mansion,” and the countless of athletes throughout the Mitten.

Most recently, celebrities like Kid Rock, Michael Moore, and Ted Nugent have sold their Michigan homes. However, this doesn’t mean that other celebrities have jumped ship. A few celebrities still own homes in Michigan.

Here are four celebrities with homes in Michigan.

  • Eminem (Marshall Mathers)

    Eminem is an icon in the world of hip-hop and a Michigan native. Aside from his music career, he appeared in a movie you obviously know, “8 Mile.” One of Eminem’s first jobs was as a cook at a restaurant called Gilbert’s Lodge in St. Clair Shores. So, where does he live now? According to reports, he has one home in Clinton Township and one in Rochester Hills that recently sold.

     

  • Danny Brown

    Danny Brown is well-known in the alternative hip-hop scene. He is from the Dexter-Linwood area of Detroit. He told NPR during an interview that he started rapping in Kindergarten. In a 2016 interview with Vice, Brown shared that he lives in Farmington Hills. “I got deers in my backyard. And I got walnut trees growing and sh*t,” said Brown “Real like outdoorsman type sh*t like log cabin fireplace always running.”

  • Bob Seger

    Bob Seger started his career in the ’60s and became a major star in the ’70s. He recently went on his farewell tour. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. Seger continues to perform and record. Currently, he lives on La Playa Lane in Orchard Lake.

  • Tony Hawk

    Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk has a home in the Woodbridge area of Detroit. Hawk does not live in the house. Detroit Free Press reported that he did not move to the city but that he “wanted to put their money and their stamp on the city,” said Jim Tumey, a senior commercial at The Loft Warehouse at the time.

Cort Freeman was born and raised in Metro Detroit. He was named Clarkston High School 2009 Class Clown 13 years after graduating. Totally normal thing to happen. That’s thanks to his time spent as an Intern at Comedy Central and Social Media Correspondent for The Colbert Report. Cort has done comedy across the country, both standing up and sitting down. When he’s not trying to make you laugh on-air and online, he’s probably at home enjoying his favorite shows like Seinfeld, South Park, and The Office. He’s also totally uncomfortable writing about himself in the third person. Cort enjoys writing about comedy, food, sports, and entertainment. So, basically anything and everything.

Rest In Peace Aretha Franklin!

 

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