It’s been twelve years since Teddy Pendergrass passed away and some fans, along with his kids, reportedly believe Joan Pendergrass — Teddy P.’s wife of two years — did his children wrong. Of course, Teddy’s children have had a lot to say about the matter that ultimately involved multiple lawsuits, foul-play accusations, and family separation.
In a nutshell, there were –and possibly still are– many unresolved issues between his Teddy Pendergrass’s widow, Joan; and his four children. So why were Teddy’s kids and some of his fans saying Joan did his kids dirty? It’s because if you recall, there has been constant tension in the family over Teddy’s will.
Teddy Pendergrass was married twice — his first marriage to ex-wife, Karen Stills, lasted for 15 years (1987-2002); and he and his widow, Joan Pendergrass, were married for 2 years (from 2008 to his death in 2010).
The problem that Teddy’s kids and many other folks have with this picture is that they are having a very hard time wrapping their minds around the fact that Teddy P. — who had relationships with his children; and also still had a living mother, Ida Geraldine Epps (who was 91 years young at the time of his death) — would leave nearly everything he’d worked for since the late 1960s, solely to the woman he was married to for the last two years of his life.
Now, of course that didn’t sit well with Teddy P.’s kids. According to reports, the will that was presented by Teddy’s widow, Joan, gives her 100% control over Teddy P.’s estate. The will also reportedly named Joan as the sole beneficiary, leaving his children with almost nothing…which is something that Teddy’s children claimed is completely uncharacteristic of their father. Thus, a lengthy legal battle pursued….
Teddy’s Kids’ Legal Drama With Teddy’s Widow
From the time Teddy Pendergrass passed away in 2010 up until 2018, his children were in an ongoing battle with his widow, Joan Pendergrass, over their dad’s estate. Teddy met Joan in 2006 and married her in 2008. What perplexed Teddy’s children was the will Joan presented to the courts, which left Teddy P.’s entire estate to her, and none to his kids…although Teddy reportedly had relationships with his children throughout their lives.
Teddy II filed a lawsuit on behalf or him and his sisters, claiming the will Joan presented was a falsely amended version of the Will that originally left Teddy II as the sole beneficiary. He said his dad ‘lacked the capacity to make such a decision and alleged it had been signed by Joan, not Teddy.’
By 2015, LaDonna filed additional court docs to challenge the authenticity of the will Joan Pendergrass submitted to the courts on behalf of Teddy P.
“She was married to my dad for only a year, and she has turned my family upside down. All we want is what’s right,” said LaDonna.
“We [Joan and Teddy’s children] simply don’t see eye-to-eye. What I do know is my father did what he intended to do – and that is, put me in charge for the family,” stated Teddy P. II -via VictoriaAdvocate.com
Based on Teddy’s close bond with his children, it’s understandable why they question a will that only leaves a wife of 2 years as the sole beneficiary of his estate and all future earnings.
However, in 2018 a judge ruled that the will Teddy II presented to the courts was forged and that Joan’s will was the accurate one, leaving the music icon’s children with pretty much nothing from his estate.
As a result of the 6 year-long, nearly $850,000 court battle, Joan sued the Pendergrass kids in February 2018. According to reports, Joan’s lawsuit states, “The illusion and fantasy created by Theodore, Jr. and propagated by his lawyers forced Mrs. Pendergrass to undergo years of turmoil and anguish as her relationship with her late husband was unmercifully scrutinized.”
Thoughts, ILOSM family?
