Tammy Wynette planned divorce....
AGC Queen
Country music's tragic first lady Tammy Wynette had made a decision to divorce
her husband -- just 24 hours before she died under circumstances that have
sparked a sensational wrongful death lawsuit.
She was heartbroken because she believed that hubby George Richey was secretly
romancing a young blonde, The ENQUIRER has learned.
And she finally decided she'd stood by her man long enough!
Now, a year after Tammy's death, Richey, 64, is seeing 33-year-old former
Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Sheila Slaughter, the woman Tammy suspected was her
rival.
"Tammy's worst fears have been realized -- Sheila's even driving her
Rolls-Royce," a Nashville insider told The ENQUIRER.
And a close source revealed, "The day before she died, Tammy told a friend
she'd finally decided to divorce George.
"Her friend revealed, 禅ammy said finding out about his relationship with
Sheila was the final bitter blow -- and she was ready to get away from George
Richey.'"
But the very next day, April 6, 1998, the beloved singer was dead.
Now Richey is being sued by three of Tammy's four daughters.
In court papers, they allege that Richey and Tammy's physician, Dr. James
Wallis Marsh, "contributed to and proximately caused the demise and untimely,
wrongful death" of the star.
The suit paints a painful picture of Tammy's last hours.
As she lay curled up on a settee, Richey exchanged calls with Dr. Marsh -- who
was 500 miles away at his practice in Pittsburgh, the daughters claim.
From the symptoms Richey described, Dr. Marsh suspected she was suffering from
blood clots to the lungs -- and urged him to get immediate medical attention
for her.
But Richey did nothing but continue to feed her through a catheter the
prescription narcotics to which she was addicted, the suit alleges -- and that
evening Tammy died from the clots.
Tammy's grieving daughters recently filed their $50 million suit after failing
to convince the medical examiner to exhume their mother's body for an autopsy.
Richey's attorneys issued a statement: "George Richey devoted his life to
caring for Tammy.
"The medical care she received from Dr. Marsh and the loving care she received
from George Richey together extended her life and permitted her to do what she
loved.
"All of these allegations are totally false and that will be proven in a court
of law."
Tammy's sudden death stunned the music world.
"Just five days before she died, she threw a shower for one of her backup
singers who was expecting a baby," disclosed the insider.
"Guests said she looked better than she had in a while."
Divulged the close source: "Tammy had been worn out and looking bad for a long
time. But there was no hint that she was near death."
Richey had met Sheila Slaughter at a Nashville function two years ago. But they
weren't seen together openly until recently when he took her -- of all places
-- to a tribute to Tammy!
-- DAVID WRIGHT
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