Court Opinion

ID: 9560804
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 17:56:34.562225+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:13:12.902808
License: Public Domain

J. SHORT,
dissenting in part:
Although I agree with the majority that the trial court erred in removing Lana as personal representative, I disagree with the majority’s determination of Lana’s interest and find that J.B. intended for her to have a life estate in all of his property. Furthermore, I believe he intended for her to have the power to sell any property not otherwise described specifically in paragraphs three and five of the will; however, should she sell any of the remaining assets she should share the proceeds as provided for in the will. Although the will is inadequately drawn, my construction would attempt to harmonize its provisions and give somewhat equivalent effect to each provision so as to effectuate J.B.’s intent.
Lana requests this court to construe her interest as a life estate because our courts have previously recognized a grantee may have a life estate coupled with the power to dispose. See Johnson v. Waldrop, 256 S.C. 372, 375, 182 S.E.2d 730, 731 (1971) (finding a life estate with a complete power to dispose and consume); Thomason v. Hellams, 233 S.C. 11, 15, 103 S.E.2d 324, 325 (1958). In Johnson and Thomason, separate provisions in each will clearly created the life estates with the power to dispose while in the instant case, this court would have to take an ordinarily clear and separate provision of the *253will and limit it by a subsequent provision to construe such an interest. “In determining the testator’s intent, the [c]ourt should read the will as a whole and attempt to harmonize all its provisions.” May v. Riley, 279 S.C. 248, 250, 305 S.E.2d 77, 78 (1983). “An interpretation that fits into the whole scheme or plan of the will is the most apt to be the correct interpretation of the intent of the testator.” Kemp v. Rawlings, 358 S.C. 28, 34, 594 S.E.2d 845, 849 (2004).
The court’s primary purpose when construing a will is to consider the will as a whole and arrive at the testator’s intention. Shelley v. Shelley, 244 S.C. 598, 601, 137 S.E.2d 851, 853 (1964). This court must determine from paragraphs two, three, five, and six of JJB.’s will what type of estate J.B. granted to Lana.1 The lower court determined the will’s language limited Lana’s interest to “her natural life or until such time as she no longer desires the property.” Although the court granted Lana a limited right of use and enjoyment, a plain reading of paragraph two clearly indicates J.B. intended to give Lana a life estate in all of his property. There is no special language required for the creation of a life estate and courts look to the intention of the creator of the estate. See 28 Am.Jur.2d Estates § 67 (2000). The “for and during her natural life” language attests to J.B.’s intent to create a life estate in favor of his wife.
Paragraph three, which begins with the word “[t]hen,” indicates J.B.’s desire for his daughter Jennifer to follow *254Lana’s interest in the family farm after Lana dies or no longer desires the property. A plain reading of paragraph three presents the probability that J.B. contemplated that he was arranging for Lana to remain on the property, which in fact was the marital home, until she no longer desired to live there. Should that time come before her death, it is reasonable to assume that he provided that it should then pass to his daughter, rather than Jennifer having to wait until Lana’s death. More explicitly, paragraph three grants Nicolas Weaver, Jennifer’s son, the property if Jennifer “is deceased at the time of the death of my wife or at the time my wife desires to no longer use the property....” This statement signifies the unmistakable intent on the part of J.B. for the farm to remain in the family by contemplating no scenario for the transfer of the farm beyond the death or voluntary surrender by Lana by deeming it to pass to not one, but to a second generational heir, should the first bequest fail.
Paragraph five grants Mary Heath and J.B. Blackmon, III, J.B.’s other children, an interest in the PLM partnerships and uses identical language as paragraph three as to when they take the property. The “no longer desires the property” language in paragraphs three and five underscores J.B.’s desire for his children to receive his interest in the partnerships at the time of Lana’s death or when she no longer desired the property.
Paragraph six creates the problematic portion of the will by providing for proceeds distribution should Lana desire “to sell any or all of my property and assets.” (emphasis added). Read alone, paragraph six grants Lana the authority to dispose of the entirety of the estate’s assets unconditionally, subject to J.B.’s children receiving a portion of the proceeds of any sale. If allowed such weight and analyzed with the entire will, paragraph six seems to limit taking of the interests in paragraphs three and five by the cited beneficiaries to two scenarios: Lana dying before selling the property or Lana voluntarily relinquishing her rights to the property during her lifetime. A fundamental rule of construction of wills is that the court makes every effort to give effect to every provision of the will and endeavors to reconcile two apparently inconsistent provisions rather than to give effect to one over the other. Shelley, 244 S.C. at 601-03, 137 S.E.2d. at 853. Under this *255analysis, Lana’s decision to sell the farm would reduce Jennifer’s potential interest in the farm from fee simple to a mere shared portion of the proceeds. The clear intent of paragraph three belies this result, and I do not believe J.B. intended paragraph six to supersede the other paragraphs of the will.
The lower court heard testimony that the farmhouse was built in 1822 and had been bought by J.B.’s grandfather in 1987. J.B. grew up on the farm, known as “White Plains” from the time he was ten years old and after he returned to live there, he worked to place the house on the National Register of Historic Places. The record is clear and both sides agree that J.B. had a great deal of fondness for the property; therefore, I find that he did not intend to give Lana the power to dispose of White Plains. I find J.B. included paragraph six in the will to permit Lana to sell various assets for her support as needed, but I believe J.B. did not contemplate the sale of either the PLM partnerships or White Plains to satisfy this commitment.

. In addition to the second and sixth paragraphs of the will referred to in the majority opinion, J.B.'s will provides, in pertinent part:
Third: Then I give, devise and bequeath to my daughter, Jennifer B. Weaver, my farm and home and all personal property held for the benefit of such real property. If Jennifer B. Weaver, is deceased at the time of the death of my wife or at the time my wife desires to no longer use the property, then to Edwin Cole Weaver as Trustee for my grandson, Nicolas Weaver to be held until he reaches the age of eighteen (18) and then conveyed to him as Tenants in Common.
Fifth: Also at the time of the death of my wife or at such time as she no longer desires the property, I give and bequeath to my children, Mary B. Fleath, and J.B. Blackmon, III, all of my interest in PLM V and VI including any earnings or cash attached to such interest along with such principal which may arise at maturity. If either of my children predecease my wife at the time of her death or when she no longer desires this property then the remainder shall be divided between the surviving child and Jennifer B. Weaver.