Derzon Coins reopens (WI)

Derzon Coins, the dealer of coins and memorabilia at the center of the bitter dispute over the estate of Rebecca Derzon, reopened Monday after being closed for two months.

The West Allis store did a brisk business all day, said Alan Derzon, the Milwaukee lawyer who with his brother Mark Derzon, a California lawyer, and Paul Johnson prevailed in the fight over control of the estate that has an estimated value of about $3 million.

Rebecca Derzon died in August 2008, eight months after the death of her husband, David Derzon, who created the business in the 1950s. In the period between David’s death and her own, Rebecca rewrote her will cutting the Derzon brothers out and slashing the inheritance to Johnson, her half-brother. Rebecca Dezon had no blood relationship to the Derzon sons since she married David Derzon after Alan and Mark were adults.

In the new will, Rebecca Derzon left 75% of the business to her half-sister, Lori Laatsch, and 25% to Diane Mehalko, a Laatsch friend and long time store employee. The remainder of the estate went to members of the Laatsch and Johnson families.

In August Judge Jane Carroll voided the rewritten will saying Laatsch used improper influence to convince Rebecca Derzon to rewrite her will. Testimony in the hearing showed that Rebecca Derzon was drinking heavily, abusing prescription drugs and was depressed during the months between her husband’s death and her own.

The judge reinstated the original will which left 60% of the estate – including the business – to Alan and Mark Derzon and 40% to Johnson.

The store was closed after the ruling to give the Derzons and court officials time to locate assets of the business.

Attribution:

Derzon Coins reopens
Cary Spivak
October 22, 2012
Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/business/derzon-coins-reopens-tr7an2p-175332731.html