Marjorie Whatley Gray
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Marjorie Whatley Gray died July 10, 2006. To this day our family is furious over how her church has conducted themselves in this matter. Marjorie was a member of the church for about 50 years and paid her tithes faithfully. After the deaths of her adopted daughter and her husband she lived alone in her home. In the last few years the Cherokee Baptist Church members seemed to always be coming and going. We thought what a wonderful church. Marjorie began to start telling family and other friends that "they told me not to let anyone in the house". Her will was changed and her two sisters were removed from the will the pastor was made her executor of the estate, he received her power of attorney and also had her medical power of attorney. She became a secluded person who was cut off from her family and friends. When the pastor told me the date of the will I advised him that she had two wills made after the one he had and advised him not to enter the home without a neutral 3rd party and that I knew where the will was since I had witnessed the last one. Immediately when she was admitted to the hospital he issued orders to withdraw all food, water and medical treatment. This was changed only after I threatened to get a lawyer. She was not in a coma she could still make her own decisions and her medical power of attorney did not give him the right to make decisions while she could. Immediately members of the church were in the house going all through her house by the pastor's own admission and said he could not find the will. The will he provided is suspect since this was a copy of a very old will over 30 years old. She included her obit and the address given in this obit for one of her sisters was completely wrong, her sister had not lived in that location for over 30 years. This was not an oversight on her part, it was lack of knowledge on the part of the person who pulled this will together.
When she died the pastor of Cherokee Baptist Church, Memphis, Tennessee read the will at the funeral and when asked he said he would let the family know when they sold her belongings so the family would have a chance to purchase it. He also promised me personally that I could get the family photos and genealogy records which have no value to anyone other than family.
HE LIED. I have left numerous messages and none have been returned after I went to the church office and picked up a box that had about 6 inches of papers in it, no books, no photo albums, not even the photos I had sent over the years of my family or of any family members. Marjorie's oldest sister has 50 direct descendants alone not counting all of her nieces and nephews. She has a very large family.
I spoke to xxxxx at the church and was told they had held an estate sale, cleared out the house and a new family is now living there. The family was never notified of any sale and I never received as promised the family photographs or genealogy records.
She became totally dependent upon the Cherokee Baptist Church for her care and trusted them. This is what happened to her. Inside her mouth are sores from malnutrition and dehydration. Her bank account was drained and she kept telling her family I can't pay anymore, I can't pay anymore. The pastor of Cherokee Baptist Church has never made an accounting of what happened to her money while she was alive and has never furnished her family with records of checks written. I and my cousin had called the church and set an appointment with the pastor prior to her admittance to the hospital and death over allegations my aunt made saying church members were stealing her money. She died before the meeting and the pastor has never responded to these allegations.
DO NOT TRUST THAT ANY ORGANIZATION INCLUDING A CHURCH IS DOING THE "CHRISTIAN" THING WHEN IT COMES TO THE CARE OF ANY FAMILY MEMBER.
FAMILY MEMBERS WANT A FULL INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER. WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL OF HER MONEY BEFORE SHE DIED? WHY DIDN'T SHE HAVE MONEY TO GO TO THE DOCTOR? WHY WAS SHE MALNOURISHED AND DEHYDRATED?
WHY DIDN'T THE PASTOR INVESTIGATE AND REPORT TO THE FAMILY REGARDING THE ALLEGATIONS THAT CHURCH MEMBERS WERE STEALING HER MONEY FROM HER BANK AND HOUSE?
WHY DID THE PASTOR LIE TO THE FAMILY WHEN HE SAID HE WOULD GIVE HER PERSONAL PROPERTY TO THE FAMILY AT THE READING OF THE WILL? WHY DIDN'T THE PASTOR NOTIFY THE FAMILY OF AN ESTATE SALE AS HE PROMISED AT THE READING OF THE WILL.
WHY HAS THE PASTOR OF CHEROKEE BAPTIST CHURCH IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE REFUSED TO FURNISH A FULL ACCOUNTING OF HIS ACTIONS AS HER POWER OF ATTORNEY TO PROVE THE MONEY WAS SPENT FOR HER AND NOT FOR OTHERS INCLUDING HIMSELF?
SHE OWNED HER HOME, SHE DID NOT HAVE CABLE TV, SHE HAD A BASIC PHONE PLAN AND RARELY IF EVER USED AC. SHE HAD INCOME THAT COVERED HER EXPENSES. WHY DID SHE SAY SHE COULD NOT AFFORD ANY MORE?
WHY IS THE PASTOR OF CHEROKEE BAPTIST CHURCH DODGING THE QUESTIONS OF NEGLECT OF A CHURCH MEMBER AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE OF HER RECORDS PRIOR TO HER DEATH?
