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Everyone aspires to leave a legacy and make an impact in the right way. But some, whether due to their eccentricities, wealth, or often both, leave behind their vast estates with unusual conditions. These eccentric individuals stray far from the typical inheritance to spouses and family, using their wills to settle scores, make up for lost dreams, and even play pranks from beyond the grave. Whether it's ashes turned into comic strips or drums crafted from human skin, from séances to storks, here are ten of the craziest requests ever written in last wills.
10. Seventy Names Chosen from a Phone Book
Luis Carlos de Noronha Cabral de Camara was a Portuguese aristocrat born into luxury. He inherited a fortune in the form of bank accounts, a grand twelve-room apartment, a house, and a fleet of vehicles, yet lacked much else in life. Estranged from his family, a lifelong bachelor with few or no close friends, he decided in 1988 to bequeath his entire estate to 70 random people he selected from a phone book.
Thirteen years later, Luis Carlos passed away, and the courts began executing his will. Lawyers reached out to the 70 strangers, all residing in Luis Carlos’s hometown of Lisbon, informing them they had inherited 1/70th of his estate. Even split that thinly, each person stood to inherit several thousand euros. Many assumed the calls were part of a scam—it did have the feel of a 'Nigerian Prince' email. But it was indeed true, and for the 70 fortunate individuals, Luis Carlos’s misfortune became their own windfall.
9. The Eighty-Million-Dollar Dog
Much like Luis Carlos, Karlotta Leibenstein was born into wealth but had little else. A German countess who inherited tens of millions of dollars, she had no family or children to pass it on to. Unlike Luis Carlos, though, Leibenstein had one recipient in mind for her fortune. But rather than a human, it was a dog. In 1992, her dog, Gunther III, was named the beneficiary of $80 million.
Since dogs can't legally own wealth, Gunther III was assigned a group of caretakers to manage the inheritance. These caretakers provided the dog with the finest luxuries throughout his life, drawing from the fortune. The money was also wisely invested, and by 2019, the total value had grown to nearly $400 million. Though Gunther III has passed on, his son, Gunther IV, remains alive and continues to live the most lavish life any dog could imagine.
8. Turn Me Into a Frisbee
“Steady” Ed Headrick led a remarkable life. He served in World War II, worked as a deep-sea welder, and eventually found his true passion as a toy designer. He is best remembered for inventing the Frisbee and the sport of disc golf. Given his contributions, it’s only fitting that in his will, Headrick requested that his ashes be used to create a series of Frisbees.
His son Daniel was quoted as saying, “For years, he used to joke about wanting to live on as a Frisbee. We always thought he was joking.” But Headrick’s request was no joke. His ashes were indeed used to create a limited edition of Frisbees, some of which were given to family and friends, while others were auctioned off for charity.
7. Beam Me Up… Twice
Gene Roddenberry, the visionary behind Star Trek and the father of modern science fiction, was more than just fascinated by space. He had a deep admiration for the cosmos, which he demonstrated by requesting that his ashes be sent into space, to float forever in the vast expanse.
Roddenberry’s request was partially fulfilled in 1997 when a portion of his ashes was launched aboard a Celestis rocket into Earth's orbit. Unfortunately, the rocket’s orbit began to deteriorate over time, and in 2002, it re-entered the atmosphere and burned up. NASA has pledged to send another portion of his ashes on a future mission, but as of now, no further launches have occurred.
6. Display Me, Sir
The body of Jeremy Bentham is one of the most iconic in history, drawing attention even today. Bentham, an English philosopher, left very specific instructions for the handling of his remains. He requested that his body be preserved in a seated position, dressed in one of his suits, and placed in a wooden box with a glass face so it could be publicly displayed indefinitely.
Since his death in 1832, Bentham's remains have been kept in this glass-fronted box, which he called the 'Auto-Icon', on display at University College London. Unfortunately, due to poor preservation efforts and ongoing pranks, Bentham's original head was replaced with a wax replica, and the real head is now securely locked away.
5. Keep the Fire Burning for My Return
John Bowman, a successful tanner in the 1800s, built a fortune and a deeply devoted family. Even after their passing, he remained committed to honoring his loved ones.
After losing both his wife and daughters, Bowman chose to honor their memory with a $75,000 stone mausoleum, serving as both a resting place and a shrine. Inside, statues of his wife and daughters were placed, alongside a statue of himself ascending the steps, flowers in hand. Bowman also believed in reincarnation, expecting that he and his family would one day return to their mansion. In preparation for that return, he set aside $50,000 to ensure a custodian kept the mansion ready. For 60 years, the custodian kept the fire lit, and a daily dinner was laid out on the table, awaiting the family’s return.
4. The Drums Made of Skin
Solomon Sanborn passed away in 1871. In his death, he wanted to send a message to the world about his patriotism. He succeeded in achieving that goal in a rather unique way.
A proud resident of Massachusetts, Sanborn took great pride in the role the state played during the American Revolution. Upon his death, he instructed that his body be donated to science, but not his skin. Instead, his skin was turned into two drums, which he gifted to a friend who was a drummer. Sanborn’s will requested that this friend play 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' every June 17th, the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
3. The Great Stork Derby
Charles Vance Millar, a Toronto businessman, amassed a large fortune through several businesses. With no close family to inherit his wealth, Millar decided to distribute his estate in the most ridiculous ways possible, choosing several outlandish methods to do so.
One of Millar’s conditions dictated that every Protestant minister in Toronto be given shares in his brewery, which was a Catholic business. Another clause granted his vacation home in Jamaica to three men who despised each other, but with the caveat that they had to live together. However, the most infamous of Millar's stipulations was known as The Great Stork Derby. He left the majority of his fortune to whichever Toronto woman bore the most children within ten years of his death. This unusual challenge resulted in a 'reproduction race' lasting a decade, ending in a four-way tie with each woman having nine children.
2. Required Seances
Harry Houdini is renowned as the greatest escape artist of all time, but his legacy includes more than just spectacular escapes. He also dedicated a portion of his life to exposing fraudulent magicians and spiritualists.
Because of this, Houdini and his wife, Bess, created a secret code that the one who died first would use to communicate from the other side through a seance. If the afterlife and mediums were genuine, the message would come through. If not, the surviving spouse would hear the usual tricks and cold-readings from mediums. Houdini's will specifically stated that Bess should hold annual seances in an attempt to contact him. She faithfully performed these seances until her death, but the mysterious coded message never materialized.
1. A Comic with Your Ashes
Comic book enthusiasts are likely familiar with Mark Gruenwald, a dedicated writer, editor, artist, and everything in between for Marvel. If there's a major Marvel character, Gruenwald almost certainly had a hand in it. His passion for comics even extended beyond his life when his will requested that his body be cremated and his ashes incorporated into the ink used to print a comic.
Gruenwald's request was fulfilled. After his cremation, his ashes were mixed into the ink used to produce the first collected edition of his beloved series, Squadron Supreme. These books have since become highly sought-after collector’s items, often fetching significant prices on eBay.
