LIVING HISTORY
43
In her interviews, Kathy put it more bluntly: “He got away
with everything but murder. She could have told him no at
anytime. He blew an $11 million estate because he had no college
or management background or anything like that.’’
Whenever her daughters asked why she allowed her husband
to continue going through her money, Jo Ann always responded
the same way: “Because I love him and I trusted him.’’
Debra recalls that when Jo Ann filed bankruptcy, TL asked,
“ ‘Aren’t you embarrassed about the fact that you had to file
bankruptcy and all of these things?’ She straightened up and
looked at him and said, ‘I didn’t lose the money.’ That was
the first time I heard her speak her truth to him.’’
With the farm hanging in the balance, a new farm lessee
showed up about 1993. He is successful Atlanta businessman
Michael Macke.
Macke likes the farm and the family. Before long, he
proposes a deal to buy the farm by helping Jo Ann out of
bankruptcy and her debts.
“When he stepped in he said he’d just take care of all this,’’
Debra says. “I said that would just be wonderful.’’
The process took several years before the deal for $660,000
was closed in 1995. Though it yielded no cash for Jo Ann, it
resulted in her bankruptcy being discharged and her tax issues
being settled. For the time being, Macke also allowed Jo
Ann to continue living in the farmhouse. Debra’s house and
10 acres on the farm remained under Debra’s ownership.
“That took Mother out of everything, and she continued to
live in the big house a couple more years,’’ Debra says.
With the sale, for the first time in her adult life, Jo Ann
Raulerson Sloan, once one of the largest landowners in St.
Lucie County, doesn’t own property. Anywhere.
TL, too, is without property, living at the St. Lucie Village
home owned by Diane, who was working for a local
insurance company. Robin says those years were happy for
the couple, who she says were in an exclusive relationship
throughout their 26 years together.
“After it was all over and done with he always maintained
he was never happier in his life than with him and Mr. Bill
Padrick up there at St. Lucie Village drinking rum and fishing
in the river,’’ says Darren Robertson. “He said that once
he got rid of everything and lost everything he had never
been happier because he didn’t have any more worries. They
took everything, he didn’t owe them anymore and he was
going to live out his days.’’
Thomas Leighton Sloan lived until Nov. 10, 1996. In the days
before his death, he had a visit from Jo Ann, who traveled from
North Carolina with her granddaughter, Grace Summerlin, for
a visit, staying at the house with TL and Diane.
Before her departure, the 64-year-old TL had a request of
the woman who was legally his wife and erstwhile business
partner for the past 44 years. Would she grant him a divorce
so he and Diane could get married?
Before, TL and Jo Ann had always told family and friends
that it would be too expensive and complex to get divorced
because of their joint holdings.
“Jo Ann was always very quiet about” TL’s relationship
with Diane, friend Sally Richeson says. “She carried on as
though she was his wife and never said a word. I said to
Tommy one time, ‘Why are you doing this? Why don’t you
divorce Jo Ann and be up front with Diane?’ He said, ‘Financial.’
That was his only comment.’’
When Jo Ann repeatedly was asked over the years why
she stayed married her response was always the same: >>
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