Commission accepts copy of Susan Osborne's will to begin probate; orders notice to contingent beneficiaries

At its Sept. 3 meeting the Harrison County Commission granted a petition to accept a copy of the will of the late Susan Osborne so the executor may begin probate proceedings. The petitioner, who identified herself as the granddaughter and executor and said she was joining by Zoom from Florida, told the commission the original 2017 will could not be found and her family had searched "high and low." She said she needed the county to accept the copy so she could begin probate, which in turn was necessary to administrate the estate of her grandfather, who died this year.

The petitioner, who identified herself as Susan Osborne's granddaughter and executor, said the couple had not opened probate in 2020 because the will named the surviving spouse as sole beneficiary; with the spouse deceased, the granddaughter said the copy of the 2017 will shows contingent beneficiaries she and two cousins who would inherit if the primary beneficiary predeceased. The petitioner said the family cannot begin probate of the grandfather's estate until the grandmother's will is probated because the house title is affected.

Commissioners confirmed the property in question is in Clarksburg, Harrison County. Trey (county staff) and another commissioner asked that the clerk's office provide notice to the contingent beneficiaries listed in the will; the commission directed the clerk to provide that notice. A motion to accept the petition and execute the order was approved by voice vote; motions on the record requested the clerk to provide copies of the order to the contingent beneficiaries.

Votes at a glance: Motion to accept the petition to accept the copy of the will of Susan Osborne and execute the order with proper signatures — outcome: approved; mover/second: not specified on the record; vote: recorded by voice as "aye," motion carried.

The commission did not resolve questions about earlier notice to contingent beneficiaries beyond directing the clerk's office to provide notice and to file the executed order.