Presentation Convent of Aberdeen v. Crowe

HECK, Circuit Judge.

This is an appeal from orders amending and approving the report and petition for final distribution of Paul Thomas Quinn’s (Father Quinn) estate. The trial court concluded that Judy Crowe (Judy) was entitled to eight percent of Father Quinn’s residual estate since Father Quinn employed her at the time of his death. We affirm for a different reason, however.

Father Quinn, a Catholic priest, maintained a residence in Ethan, South Dakota. He hired Judy as his housekeeper in 1981. Judy performed customary housekeeping duties: cooking, house cleaning, picking up the mail, and…