Recovered Peter Zeimet estate correspondence — February 2018 through January 2019. This draft consolidates the house and household-auction side of the estate; the Packards and Fuller-family coins are preserved separately.
February 2018 — the giant do-list
Before the house could be sold, Jo laid out the full estate triage: repair and repaint the house, replace appliances, sort documents, value and consign furniture, separate vintage and newer Fiestaware, deal with musical instruments, work out what to do with the Packards, clear the garage, move the tenant’s belongings, change locks, prepare the house for sale, and work through the court process.
Danielle volunteered to take the family photographs and negatives, get them scanned, and share them around. She also offered to take the unchipped Fiestaware as part of her share of the estate and told Jo, “Just let me know where you need me and when. I do not want you to feel abandoned in the process.”
By April 23, Jo reported that Peter’s Reno house had been listed, was getting multiple showings, and already had several promising inquiries. The process was still full of surprises: electrical and plumbing issues had to be handled, the estate had just published notice to creditors, and the remaining household goods were moved to the auction house after concerns about theft from the vacant property.
Jo then discovered the vacant house did not have an active homeowner’s policy while work was being done. After a frantic search, she reported the next day that insurance was finally in place.
The house closed on May 31, 2018. Jo’s message was wonderfully direct: “We closed on the house today.” Danielle’s response: “Happy dance!”
The household collection moved through Lightning Auctions in Reno over a series of online sales. Jo described a large mix of vintage and modern pieces, including a substantial Fiestaware collection and a complete set of mid-century dishes. Other estate lots included musical instruments and assorted household pieces. Danielle helped monitor the online listings, catch missing photographs and mislabeled Fiesta colors, and push the sales through social media.
By mid-June, the estate lots were finally appearing across multiple Lightning auctions. Jo sent Danielle the auction ranges and told her to “do your voodoo, Social Media Meister.” It was another piece of the long estate process finally moving toward the finish line.
September 2018 — moving toward final accounting
By September 20, the attorney had prepared the estate’s First and Final Account. The inventory was being filed, the final accounting could move forward, and the goal was to close the estate in December. Jo circulated the paperwork to Danielle and Mindy before signing it and moving to the next step.
November 2018 — a Christmas miracle, then one more hiccup
Late in November, Jo discovered another $598 for the estate after tracking down a previously unknown Foremost homeowner’s insurance policy and completing the paperwork for a refund. Danielle’s response was immediate: “No way! It’s a Christmas miracle!!!! But seriously that’s so great! #mykidsaregoingtocollege!!!!” The English horn was still unsold, but the estate spreadsheet had one more little bit of income.
Then on November 30 came one more probate delay. The commissioner continued the hearing to December 19 and required a Notice of Proposed Action documenting the already-completed sale of the house and disposition of personal property. Jo called it a “hiccup delay.”
December 2018 — distribution finally begins
The December 19 hearing moved the estate forward. On December 20, Jo forwarded the hearing minutes and said the signed order would be followed by instructions for distribution and Distributee’s Receipts.
On December 26, the order arrived. Administrative expenses and reimbursements were to be paid first, then the remaining estate divided with one-half to Jo and one-quarter to each niece. Danielle’s response to Jo: “Please PAY YOURSELF BACK ASAP! I don’t know how you did it.”
On December 31, FedEx delivered Danielle’s distribution check. She signed the receipt immediately and emailed it back to Jo: “Happy New Year!”
January 8, 2019 — finally discharged
After the remaining accounting, court notices, waivers, and distributions were completed, Jo forwarded the estate’s Decree of Discharge with one word: “Hallelujah!” She wrote that once the final checks had cleared, she could close the estate account and bid a fond farewell to the bank. The long Peter-estate process was finally, officially, ending.
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