Raleigh man leaves nearly $1.7 million estate to cat charities

“He was very fond of cats and animals,” attorney Bobby Khot, with Wills Trusts and Estates, said of client Emil Campbell.

Khot said Campbell, who died suddenly last month, designated four cat charities to share his estate.

Jernigan said her rescue group gets less than $6,000 a year in donations. The volunteer organization doesn’t even have a building of its own. However, the generous gift from Campbell could change that.

“We could certainly become a much larger rescue group if we had the facility,” Jernigan said.

Marley's Cat Tales, another group that provides health care and homes for cats, was also named a benefactor of Campbell's estate.

“A donation like this will allow us to spay or neuter as many animals as possible and make a difference in alleviating the problem of overpopulation,” Olloqui said.

“(He was) very frugal. He didn't work a job that paid him a lot of money, but he pinched his pennies and he saved his money,” Khot said of Campbell.

Campbell had one surviving daughter. Khot said she was not thrilled with the will, but a family friend said Campbell took care of his daughter outside of his estate.