In December, we shared an extract from a poignant new book written by an estate planner whose career began far from the world of wills. In ‘Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way’, Steve tells the story of his journey from windows to wills following the death of his closest friend, Carl Williamson. Here, Carl’s daughter Chloe reflects on her father’s life and the impact of Steve’s book.
Steve Bish, from St Albans, once ran a successful window company. Today he is the founder of S Bish Estate Planning, operating from offices in Hertfordshire. His journey from windows to wills is chronicled in his new book, Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way, a story shaped by personal loss and a profound lesson in the importance of estate planning.
That turning point came in 2001, when Steve lost one of his closest friends, Carl Williamson, in a fatal scooter accident. Carl was just 33 years old and had not made a will.
In the aftermath, Steve took time away from his business to help Carl’s widow navigate the complexities of his estate. What began as an act of friendship became a life-changing experience.
Witnessing first-hand the emotional and administrative burden placed on a grieving family without a Will ultimately led Steve to change direction, dedicating his career to helping others avoid the same situation.
The book is not only Steve’s story. It is also a tribute to Carl, and to the family he left behind.
Here, Carl’s daughter Chloe, now a journalist and writer, reflects on her father’s life, his sudden death, and the impact of dying intestate. Chloe was just 18 months old when Carl died.
“I’ve always been told I look just like him, and that I am just like him,” she says. “I definitely have his nose, and his sense of humour.” Her mother often described Carl as dramatic and silly. She thinks he would have made “a perfect drama school dad”. Despite growing up without him, Chloe sees striking parallels that, she says, feel like “nature over nurture”.
One such detail stands out: “I always brush my hair before I go to bed, which is something he would do every night too. Apparently because ‘you never know who you’ll meet in your dreams!’… that’s what he would tell my Mum.”
Chloe recounts how proud Carl was of being a father. Shortly after she was born, he would find any excuse to show her off. “He took me to his work once,” she recalls. “He was an aeroplane engineer, so probably not the best place for a baby, but he was just so excited to boast to his work friends about me.”
One of her favourite memories comes second-hand, from her grandmother. Carl’s final conversation with his mother-in-law was about the clematis growing in the family garden, a plant he had taken great pride in tending. After his death, she replanted it in his memory.
Years later, Carl’s presence still lingers in his community. “If I set foot in his home village or go into the pub that he spent his years in, I’ll have strangers ask, ‘Aren’t you Carl’s daughter?’” Chloe says. These encounters are often followed by anecdotes or comments about their resemblance. “It’s weird. I almost feel famous. He’d love the fact that people still talk about him all these years later.”
Alongside these personal reflections, Chloe speaks candidly about the consequences of her father not having a will.
“All I know is that it was extremely stressful, and something that my Mum, as well as his parents, shouldn’t really have had to deal with,” she explains. Probate proceedings required her mother to swear in court that she was Carl’s widow, a distressing process made worse by the timing. “She had just lost her husband, and was now left to parent an 18-month-old on her own.”
While Chloe’s maternal grandparents were able to support her mother, Carl’s parents were understandably overwhelmed by grief. “Nobody should experience outliving their own child,” she says.
Asked whether she would encourage others to make a will, Chloe’s answer is unequivocal. “Yes, definitely. It isn’t something that people like to think about, but it makes a hard time even harder if you don’t have one. Your family is left guessing what you would have wanted while dealing with grief and upset.”
Chloe also reflects on how it feels to see her family’s story told in print. Initially surprised, she says it was something she never imagined happening. “It’s always just been my life, my childhood, something normal to us. But I am incredibly proud of Steve,” she says. “He’s turned our sad yet very real story into something other people can read and relate to.”
Steve, whom Chloe refers to as Uncle Steve, was one of Carl’s closest friends. Their families have remained close, with Chloe growing up alongside Steve’s children. “My dad would have absolutely loved them,” she writes.
Ultimately, Chloe hopes readers take comfort from the book, and a clear message. “Losing my dad had a profound effect on how I view life, death and dying,” she says. “It has naturally brought up conversations about wills and estate planning.”
Her father was only 33 when he died, just seven years older than Chloe is now. “I hope it allows younger people to realise that the earlier you can construct a will, the better,” she says. “And I hope it reassures older people that having one is the right thing, not just for themselves, but for their families too.”
“I hope people see themselves in this book,” she concludes. “Death affects us all.
“I truly hope it brings comfort, solace and validation, and helps people know they’re not alone.”
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way is available now, with a proportion of each sale being donated to the Kaotic Angel Foundation.
