You Can't Take It With You

Teddy Pendergrass, his son Teddy II, and grandson Teddy III in 2008

Teddy Pendergrass left an indelible music legacy behind when he died in January of this year... but, unfortunately, he didn't leave much else. A bank foreclosed on his Penn Valley home over the summer and the property is slated for sheriff's sale next month. There's also an outstanding car loan and a lawsuit by a former songwriting partner. But, none of that has squelched a bitter battle over the famed singer's will.

For months, Teddy's second wife, whom he married in 2008, has been quietly warring with his son over the remnants of his estate. Both sides have produced conflicting wills, purportedly approved by Pendergrass, that cut the other out. Together, the documents and interviews suggest a portrait of a renowned R&B artist and Philadelphia institution whose mind and money may have been slipping away at the same time.

Last Wednesday, attorneys for Teddy Pendergrass II and his father's widow, Joan Pendergrass, met with a judge in Montgomery County, but left without an agreement. One of her attorneys said the dispute was less about money than about the singer's legacy. What that legacy includes and who deserves to control it has divided the family.

LaDonna Pendergrass Hollerway, one of the late singer's daughters, said she believed that Joan Pendergrass wanted only to profit from his life, through a movie, book, or even a reality show. "She was married to my dad for only a year, and she has turned my family upside down," said Hollerway, a hospital technician in Plano, Texas. Joan Pendergrass declined interview requests and her supporters deny the accusations. "To say it's a money grab is ludicrous because there's just no money to fight about," said her attorney, Kevon Glickman, of the firm Offit Kurman.

If the root of the dispute isn't clear, the acrimony is. Three weeks ago, at the Philadelphia premiere of a television documentary about the famed singer, Teddy Pendergrass II shared a stage with his stepmother, but refused to hug her or be photographed with her. "We simply don't see eye-to-eye," the younger Pendergrass said Friday. He declined to elaborate, except to say, "What I do know is my father did what he intended to do and that is, put me in charge for the family."

Others say Joan Pendergrass cared deeply for both her husband and his children, and is stunned to have been dragged into such a battle. Jerry Pendergrass, a family cousin, said that "she did not and does not understand why someone, anyone, would come after her for any reason, knowing that she did everything on this earth to take care of Teddy Pendergrass."

When someone passes away, it seems that people always find a reason to squabble over what is left (or not left) behind. Sometimes, I think life (and death) would be a lot easier for everyone involved if you COULD "take it with you"... then, there wouldn't be anything for people to focus on except the cherished memories you leave behind.