Bill Henry Waddell had planned carefully for his old age. Although he was born in Brazil, son of missionaries, he had worked hard all his life in the United States, as an Army Chaplain's Assistant, then as a Social Worker and finally as a Presbyterian minister in rural congregations.He had been two years to law school, so he gave me, his wife, power of attorney for health care and power of attorney for financial, just as I gave the same to him. And as we loved each other very much, we each willed the other all our worldly goods. The secondary beneficiary for him was his brother and for me my sister.
His brother from Maine had taken note of the fact that I managed money pretty well (having lived at one point on $7000/year in a small rural town). The brother also took note of the fact that I had received a small inheritance. The brother asked to manage our money, which I thought was a joke. The brother also asked me to return to him $33,000 which his parents had given us as a gift because it was "Waddell money."
When Bill began to fail, and I still don't know for sure what he had, but his brother and one of the doctors called it Alzheimer's, in August of 2007, his brother's wife hired a Maine attorney. We'll call him/her Attorney no 1. Attorney no 1, using Attorney/Client confidentiality privilege, hired Attorney no. 2 in Illinois. Attorney no 2 hired a social worker, Amy Suydam, who after visiting Bill in Illinois, chased him over to Jefferson Barracks Hospital in Missouri in order to tell the social workers there that I was a poor caretaker. (They actually let her into all the conferences.) The social worker went before a judge, Judge Metz, Madison County IL, all behind my back so that I could not get a lawyer, and Amy Suydam asked that Sharon Mehrtens be my husband's temporary guardian.
The guardian, who was not even on the State of IL approved list, walked into my husband's rest home room on December 12, 2007. She asked me-- out in the corridor---for me to put her name on our savings and checking account and to also put her name on our safe deposit box. She told me that if I did not tell her where my assets were, she would charge me $35 an hour to find them.
The next day, December 13, Bill was sicker. I could not even take him to the ER room because although I had power of attorney for health care and financial, others were in control through a temporary guardianship obtained by secret hearings (the contents of which I still don't know.)
Bill was very upset by the fact that someone else was guardian. (I don't think he had Alzheimer's.) Bill asked me, "Please, can't I go home to die?"
And I had to tell him I was powerless to take him home. Our last words together were, "May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent one from another." And I told him, "I will always love you." He died at 8:48 AM December 14th, 2007. While he was dying, the rest home could not reach me at our home because, following my brother in law's instructions, I was trying to get a lawyer. The guardianship system was used to take away the man I loved, to harass him until he lost the will to live.
But Bill did not die in vain. As a committed Christian, Bill is with our Lord Jesus.
All during our 38 years of marriage, Bill would tell me how much he loved Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington. So I have established the William H. Waddell scholarship there. It was funded with the $33,000 of "Waddell money" his brother and his brother's wife wanted.
Bill was a brave man. When a gunman captured our church organist and several of our elders at the Veterans Building in Watford City, North Dakota, Bill walked over to the police station at 3 in the morning to offer himself as a hostage negotiator. He would be happy to know today that he might be saving others from terrible suffering.
Bill Waddell was "a man to ride the river with," as the Westerners say. The phrase means a person who is steady, fearless, and dependable, someone who will not flinch and who will bring his companion to the other side. Bill was such a person. He brought me through 38 years to the other shore.
-Mary I. Waddell, his widow
May 2009 ~ Guardianship abuse victims recognized during Elder Abuse Prevention Month
23 comments:
Bill's story is heartbreaking and another example of a bad seed in the family causing tremendous disaster.
Dear Mrs.Wadell, Yes we believers know he is at peace. We know he is in a better place than this negative world. Though you miss his physical presence we know he is there with you and your discerning Spirit is at peace.
Now about the legal deception, you were spared a long protracted battle with Satanic forces. Everything you stated from my experience is exactly how it goes.
The laws are in place,but they are suppressed. In the meantime you were victorious by setting up the foundation and gifting them the "Waddell" money. Sweet victory is yours and your husband's. God Bless.
Marta Fernandez
Familythatcares
You can't just blame the family; they cannot do the dirty deeds without the judiciary okaying it!
This is a pattern of similarity in our cases.
And lack of notice should have set aside the entire guardianship, if you had a real lawyer!
You're right, LoriView, it's not just the family's fault -- it's the judges and lawyers who take advantage of the rift in the family and then widen it so they can blame the family.
Thank you for sharing your story.
I am sorry for what you have been through and felt your pain when you had to tell your dear husband that you were powerless to take him hom.
Mary,
Bill indeed sounds like "a man to ride the river with". I like that sentiment very much.
I am sure he is proud of you.
Dear Mary,
Your husband was silenced but with your efforts you are giving your loving husband Bill a voice.
Illinois Land of Lincoln is known as Illinois Land of Mass Corruption.
I am steaming. For anyone target an American Veteran for the guardianship racket is the lowest of the lowest.
How dare they blindside you?
Because they can continue to get away with doing lasting harm case after case with no one in authority acknowledging, addressing or questioning how this guardianship racket is running like out of control organized crime mobsters with the judge as the mob boss, all under the color of law.
Amy Suydam, Jefferson Barracks Hospital in Missouri, Judge Metz, Madison County Illinois, Sharon Mehrtens and the others need to be held accountable for failing in their fiduciary duties, using the courts for their personal profit, elder abuse, financial exploitation and a long list of other offenses all under color of law.
They must answer to a higher authority.
In my opinion, the entire guardianship scheme of Bill Wadell from Day 1 is all about others getting their hands on someone elses assets.
This case is based on false information and allegations; this case is based on greed and fraud, fraud is a criminal offense.
This is not an isolated case; there is a pattern of misuse and abuse of power.
Yes, it sounds like Bill's brother got real greedy and very busy contacting the connected lawyers club. How can he be dragged in to face justice for what he did to his own brother. Shameful and in my book I hope there is a special place for these people in the fires of hell for eternity.
Bill did not die in vain, Mary.
You have become an advocate and your efforts will help keep others from enduring what he did.
The system stole your innocent and vulnerable husband from you and abused him. The brother got the wheels turning, but it was the system that did the dirty deed.
We've got to change the system.
It amazes me, and I know it shouldn't, how the guardian came right in and started after the money.
No respect to your husband - no respect to you.
Their motives are so very transparent.
This is another example of a sneak attack on an unsuspecting person in order to seize property and money.
Sharon Mehrtens was appointed temporary guardian of person and estate on the same day the petition for emergency hearing was filed with the court.
The Petitions for emergency guardianship and permanent guardianship are based on false allegations. The falsely accused have no recourse - no due process, what happened to civil rights?
The petition in this case is fraudulent. These people in the guardianship racket are using the courts to seize their wards estates all for profit. There is a pattern here screaming for federal investigation.
I can no longer resist the desire to respond to these accusations. Mary Wadell was not taking proper care of her husband at home. He was suffering and needing medical attention which he was not getting. She refused to cooperate, therefore the necessity to have him put in a nursing home. As for taking his money, neither the temporary gaurdian, the caseworker nor the judge or the attorney received any of his funds.
To the last anon, did the temporary guardian or caseworker save Mr. Waddell for free then? Or did they bill his estate? How much did they charge him for their "protection"?
You can rob somebody with a gun or you can rob them with a court order.
Last Anon I STRONGLY disagree with every word you wrote to NASGA.
Particularly, let's talk about the the real reason for this guardianship, let's talk about the money, first.
Anon wrote: ".....As for taking his money, neither the temporary gaurdian, the caseworker nor the judge or the attorney received any of his funds......"
Well, Anon how would YOU know this?
Isn't there a reason team probate didn't get their hands on the money? A reason they didn't receive any of the Waddell funds?
FACT: The guardianship ended.
FACT: Rev. Bill Waddell .... did not survive the shock of being declared a ward of the state.
Bill Waddell could not survive without his loyal and loving wife, Mary at his side making decisions for his well-being, ..... sadly, Bill Waddell passed away within 6 days of being declared a ward of the state in an ex-parte appointment.
Where were you Anon and what were you doing when Rev Waddell passed away?
Ex-parte appointment says it all.
You can make all the claims you want against Mrs. Waddell, last Anon, and that might even serve your sense of justification, but the reality is the guardianship was done unlawfully. That just shoots everything you said about Mrs. Waddell not taking care of her husband.
Mr. Waddell picked his wife to care for him and make decisions for him. No doubt her decisions reflected his direct input. Mr. Waddell did not pick you or any other stranger - he picked his wife.
How do you think it would feel to have your wishes ignored and your wife shunted aside in your most desperate time of need?
I don't know what actually caused Mr. Waddell's demise, but I'd bet my hat that what the court did to him killed his spirit.
i agree mr waddells spirit was crushed broken to make it worse he studied law so he knew he was railroaded life sentence if the rev would have survived a bit longer his assets would have been seized and they were looking to put his residence up for sale but didnt have the correct info from their state connected scouts that the waddells did not own the property and that did not go over good with the temp g who had $$$$ in her eyes and mary would have had to buy out her husbands share of the property or be evicted cause there is a rush to convert everything to cash all without notice or warning of hearing folks and that is what is waiting for me for you for anyone with property life savings or income more than 50 wards at a time add that up folks and by the way where does all of the wards personal property end up???? follow the tracks for your answer
Mrs. Waddell didn't take care of her husband?
Really? Because my understanding is he died on your watch, not hers.
My understanding is that he was miserable and wanted to go home and was refused.
She took care of her husband - your accusation is simply that to try to justify what you did.
There is no justification for your actions. I don't know how you can sleep at night.
good point mr waddell died as a ward of the state not as a free man who by the way is a veteran who sacrificed his time for our freedoms i wonder if anybody on team probate served their country?
oh they sleep sound at night as most people without consciences counting their $$$$ probate is a non stop conveyer belt churning people into products to generate cash for team probate who do ya suppose writes the guardianship laws? we the chump people or those who will profit from the wording of the laws support the legislators special interest groups and lawyers are at the top of the list so who do ya suppose is gonna have the lawmakers ears and pockets?
Apparently none of you have any idea about the legal system in Illinois nor the ILLinois Elder Abuse and Neglect program! Ms. Suydam was a case worker for that exact program and was working as an investigator she was not hired by any attorney!! In order for her to have obtained a guardian for Mr. Waddell his physician had to have completed a physician's report (filed with the court) that stated he needed a guardian, why and what type of guardian was needed. Obviously there was a need 1) He wasn't able due to his mental capacity and 2) he was being neglected. After the investigation was completed the caseworker would not have sought guardianship if the case of neglect was not substantiated in one form or another. Notification of guardianship hearings are only required for a permanent guardian not for a temporary. No one fained anything financially by obtaining a guardian for Mr. Waddell. For crying out loud. Ms. Merhtens, at the time, was acting under a business (as a guardian) because St. Clair County did not have a public guardian at the time. You all need to get your facts straight before you go slandering innocent people who were simply doing their jobs!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Anon the physician was given FALSE information from Amy Suydam - all related to problems with medications. So you know what you can do with your false information.
"Notification of guardianship hearings are only required for a permanent guardian not for a temporary"
There was no emergency to Bill Waddell or to his estate so get over it Anon and if Bill had lived there would have been profits Mehrtens immediately instructed Mary to turn over her bank information and wanted in on their safe deposit box - so shove it and I'm being kind.
The only innocent persons in this case are: Bill Waddell and Mary Waddell.
Everyone else is a crook and a liar including YOU!
"Notification of guardianship hearings are only required for a permanent guardian not for a temporary. "
Is that what the IL law says? If so, the legislooters have to go back to law school.
Do the words "prior written notice" have to be put into the statutes for the constitutional idiots?
Here's what the Fifth Amendment says: "No person shall be...deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law."
The first element of due process is NOTICE - and that notice must be written, and prior to any deprivation! The second element is a FAIR AND IMPARTIAL HEARING. But that is not happening in IL or any other state where the court-appointed fiduciaries ("persons of trust"?) are operating to fill their pockets. And as far as agency reporters go, they are known to LIE!
Is it like ambulance chasing? What's the quid pro quo?
Bill Waddell was not notified of hearing he found out his wife's POA was disregarded the sneaky court appointed Sharan Mehrtens via ex-parte appointment the same day the fraudulent petition was filed with the court - the same day folks.
Ex-parte appointments this was not a hearing - definition of probate court in Illinois: business deals being conducted in a courtroom paid for by we the chump taxpayers think about that and who is next?
Sneaky? You betcha it's all about the money big money.
Bill Waddell was targeted by visiting nurses so beware of headhunters and scouts who come into your house.
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