Veteran’s Widow Fears Losing Home In Teller County

The widow of a retired Air Force veteran in Teller County is appealing a decision that she’s not entitled to her late husband’s military benefits. She said he died a month before she would have qualified for the benefits, and she may lose her home as a result.

The widow, who wants to remain anonymous, said she and her husband –whom she described as a retired colonel in the Special Forces — began a common-law marriage in 2002 and moved into a home they built in Divide.

“There were millions of dollars of bounty on his head from other countries,” the widow said. “They wanted revenge for what he did on his missions. He retired because I asked him not to go on any more missions. They shot at our house several times and even tried to break in.”

She said they married in a traditional ceremony last year, but when it comes to collecting benefits, the military and the court system only recognize traditional marriages of a year or longer, and theirs fell a month short. Her husband died last year, she said, at age 73.

The widow said she’ll appeal the decision. She also said her husband left a will, but it wasn’t filed in probate court so it may not be valid. She said she can’t afford an attorney to represent her.

“I confess that he could have done a better job preparing for what would happen after his death,” she said.

Wells Fargo Bank has foreclosed on the home, and the widow said the bank isn’t helping her. She said she has health problems and lives with her elderly parents, who also have health troubles. She said she has nowhere else to go and doesn’t know what else she can do.

“I would at least have expected (the bank) to talk to me,” said the widow. “I even left a message for them to call me. They didn’t call me. They didn’t want to talk to me. They want the house.”

Some of the factors involved remain unclear, such as whether the husband authorized his wife on the mortgage, and whether they applied for all the help they could have received from the bank. Also, there are differences in benefits between active-duty and retired personnel.

Bank officials plan to investigate the situation, but they said it’s highly unusual for the widow to not have received any help from them. A representative said the bank offers services for eligible military homeowners.