Naomi Judd seemed to have a pretty close relationship with both her daughters, Ashley and Wynonna Judd, in recent years.
Of course, Naomi and Wynonna made up the legendary country mother-daughter duo The Judds, and though they went through rough spots during their time in the spotlight, the women remained close as a family unit Naomi’s passing back in April.
Naomi tragically took her own life at 76-years-old, leaving her daughters, and the world, stunned and devastated at the loss of the beloved country icon.
And Page Six recently confirmed that her only two daughters, the aforementioned Ashley and Wynonna, were completely left out of their mother’s will, and that Naomi’s husband of 33 years, Larry Strickland, was the sole executor of her estate.
Naomi requested in the will that he have “full authority and discretion” over any property that is an asset to her estate “without the approval of any court,” or permission from any beneficiary of the estate.
According to the documents, she also stated that her husband would be entitled to receive “reasonable compensation” for his services, and that he would be paid or reimbursed for all “reasonable expenses, advances and disbursements, including attorney’s and accountant’s fees, made or incurred in the administration of my estate.”
Though there was no mention of her two children in the will, it was prepared on November 20th, 2017, almost five years before Naomi’s passing.
Naomi’s death was ultimately the result of a lifelong battle with mental health issues, but Melissa Sitzler, a senior account manager at Tennessee law firm Wiatr & Associates, and another woman named Abigail Muelder, signed as witnesses, confirming that Naomi was of “sound mind, memory and understanding, and not under any restraint or in any respect incompetent to make a Last Will and Testament.”
And in the event that her husband could not carry out the duties of being the executor due to death or any other reason, she appointed her brother-in-law Reginald Strickland, and Daniel Kris Wiatr, the president of Wiatr & Associates, to serve as co-executors.
There has never been any public indication of a rift that would cause her to leave Ashely and Wynonna out of her will, so it’s hard to know exactly why Naomi made this decision.
Naomi’s estimated net worth is around $25 million, and it is extremely odd to learn that her children will receive nothing from their mom, whom they often spoke very fondly of and vice versa, despite what could be a tumultuous relationship at times due to her aforementioned struggle with mental illness.
At the River of Time public memorial back in April, both woman spoke very highly of their late mother, and honored her life with beautiful speeches and performances, alongside many other country stars and friends of Naomi Judd.
Wynonna even got on stage and sang their hits “River of Time” and “Love Can Build A Bridge” in a very emotional performance:
Naomi took her own life just a day before The Judd’s were set to be formally inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and Ashley and Wynonna even gave an emotional speech about their late mother and how much they love and will miss her:
Wynonna Judd Shares Emotional Update On Loss Of Her Mother
There will never be another like the late, great Naomi Judd.
On April 30th, at 76 years old, the country music icon Naomi Judd tragically died by suicide, just a day before her formal induction into the the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Naomi’s daughters, Wynonna and Ashley, carried forth with the induction ceremony, and followed it up with a public memorial at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryamn Auditorium.
And in the wake of unthinkable tragedy, Wynonna is stepping up to continue the The Judds: The Final Tour, even in the sad absence of her beloved mother.
And not only is she still hitting the road, she’s turning it into the most epic girls night out you could even imagine, having Martina McBride open select night with a full set of her own hits before Wynonna take the stage. The tour will also feature Brandi Carlile, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Trisha Yearwood, and more.
However this morning, Wynonna “checked in” on Instagram, sharing an emotional post about how she’s doing now almost a month removed from the tragic death of her mother.
And needless to say, she confessed that it’s been incredibly difficult:
“Checking in.
There is so much happening in the world right now. So before I sat down to write this, I thought, ‘No…I just don’t know what to say.’ Then, I heard the words from my life coach asking me, ‘What do you know?’ And I began to cry.
WHAT DO I KNOW??
I DO know, that the pain of losing Mom on 4/30 to suicide is so great, that I often feel like I’m not ever going to be able to fully accept and surrender to the truth that she left the way she did. This cannot be how The Judds’ story ends.
I DO know, that in order to be a healthier grandparent to my firstborn grandchild Kaliyah, (born 4/13, 2 weeks & 2 days before Mom left), to break the cycle of addiction & family dysfunction, that I must continue to show up for myself (first) and do the personal healing work.
I know that it is a simple steps program, and those steps are not easy to take at times. Therefore, I’ve made a commitment to keep doing the “next right thing,” and schedule weekly appointments so that I continue with the ongoing work, even when I have good days.
I DO know, that I feel so helpless, right now especially.
I DO know, that as corny as it sounds, ‘Love Can Build A Bridge.’ I find myself humming the song that Mom wrote for the fans, to myself here on the farm at night.
I really DO know, that I’m not able to do this grieving thing all by myself, and that it’s okay to reach out for help. I will continue to fight for my faith, for my SELF, for my family, and I WILL continue to show up & sing.
Thank you all for your love and support. Let’s check in more often.”
