Cubs will cover Ernie Banks' funeral expenses

The Chicago Cubs have agreed to cover the funeral expenses of Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, according to an Associated Press report. The Cubs decided to step in after learning that Donnellan Family Funeral Services filed a claim for over $35,000 on Wednesday, stating that Banks funeral services had yet to be covered by his estate.

Speaking Friday night, team spokesman Julian Green says the club aims to handle the situation early next week.

This news comes in the middle of a legal battle over the estate of Ernie Banks. Last month, his widow, Elizabeth Banks, filed a petition challenging a will Banks signed in October that left all of his assets to caregiver Regina Rice. The petition also blocked Rice's attempts to have Banks' remains cremated and scattered around Wrigley Field. That request that was not officially included in the will, but had been publicly stated by Banks before his death.

During a subsequent court appearance, Rice would reveal that Banks assets were worth just $16,000. That revelation has Elizabeth Banks and her attorney questioning what happened to the rest of Banks wealth. A probate judge gave Rice 30 days to provide a full accounting of the estate to provide the necessary answers.

Unfortunately, this situation continues to be messy and incredibly sad, and will likely remain as such for the foreseeable future. However, it's wonderful to see the Cubs stepping up to eliminate at least one burden the family faces as they continue to mourn and attempt to move past these issues. I

t's a situation the team could have easily steered clear of with all of the legal matters going on, but they elected to take care of their own, no questions asked. It's a classy gesture on their part, and hopefully it gives the Banks family some peace of mind.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813