Feldkamp estate challenges

On June 7, 2011, Jack and Audrey Feldkamp and Doran Bloom died in McHenry County near Marengo. On June 8 Sheriff Keith Nygren held a press conference and declared how it had happened, apparently basing his conclusion on the hospital-bed statements of Scott Feldkamp given to an investigator just before the press conference. Nygren said, in effect, "Case Closed". Those weren't his words but it seems that, other than report-writing and three Coroners' Inquests, that's all there was.

Probate was opened in the Estate of Audrey Feldkamp on June 15 (only one week later), and the Feldkamp's son, Scott Feldkamp, was appointed executor (independent administrator). Scott was hardly out of the hospital himself, and at the time I thought it was a rather fast filing. An estate inventory was ordered on a rush basis, and then the estate appraiser had to file a claim for payment against the Estate. Did they expect to get paid promptly for their rush work?

On July 13 probate was opened in the Estate of Jack Feldkamp, and Scott Feldkamp was appointed executor in that estate, too, per the terms in the Will.

Two estates are open because of a provision in the Wills that, in order to inherit, the spouse had to survive for 30 days. Mr. Feldkamp died first, and Mrs. Feldkamp died about 2 1/2 hours later. This means that the heirs (son and daughter) inherit what each parent had in his or her estate, after expenses and debts.

The executor has been conducting the estate administrations pro se, meaning without a lawyer since August 30, when the Marengo law firm of Schmitt & Filler asked Judge Sullivan to let them withdraw. They told the judge that they had had problems with communication and cooperation from Scott Feldkamp.

Mark Gummerson was in the courtroom on August 30 and told Judge Sullivan that he represented Jackie Feldkamp. When Judge Sullivan told him no Appearance was in the court jacket, Gummerson said that he had filed one or, if he hadn't, he would. He never did, before or after.


I had heard rumors of how the estate was being administered, but you know what rumors are worth.

However, now petitions have been filed in McHenry County Circuit Court to remove Scott Feldkamp as executor of both estates. The petitions are filed by the Feldkamp's daughter, Jaclynn (Jackie), and allege numerous problems including, but not limited to, conversion of or sale of a $50,000 stock account; an IRA account worth more than $30,000; silver service sets worth more than $20,000; accounting for checking and savings accounts; causing charges to paid credit card accounts and allowing them to go into collection; accounting for personal property, furniture and household goods; and disposing of more than $5,000 worth of Jackie's personal property that was in the home.

The petitions also allege negligence by the executor in failing to make mortgage payments on the residence and allowing it to go into foreclosure; not paying real estate taxes; lapsing homeowners insurance and vehicle insurance policies; letting vehicle registrations expire; leaving Illinois without notifying the Court; leaving the house vacant; threatening Jackie with non-existent and false court orders and getting rid of the family dog.

The Motions will be argued in court on July 20 at 9:30AM in Room 202, the courtroom of Judge Chmiel.