Prince’s Protégé Leaves Memorabilia, $46,000 In Jewelry & Book Rights To Church And Family 80s singer turned evangelist Vanity’s dying wish was to have her ashes scattered over the water off the Hawaiian coast followed by a big party – and left much of her estate to her church. “Take my ashes and spread me out on the water,” wrote Vanity – who went by her given name Denise Matthews after becoming an evangelist more than 20 years ago. “Roxanne Harper will do this in Hawaii Halelujah! Please have a party with cake, balloons and ice cream and no tears!,” Matthews added in the 11 page document signed Jan. 23 and filed this week at the Alameda County Superior Court. Prince’s protégé Matthews, whose 1983 hit “Nasty Girl” catapulted her into the spotlight, died Feb. 15 from complications from kidney failure. She was 57. Matthews left the bulk of her estate to her friends, the Revs. Willie and Roxanne Harper, who head the Jesus Christ For All Ministries church in Northern California. The former singer named the pair her executors, and, according to the will, they’ll get Matthews’ 2007 Saturn, a Buick Encore, a $39,000 diamond ring, another $7,000 in jewelry, the contents of her house, a sword collection and 40 percent of the publishing and movie rights to her autobiography, “I Blame Vanity.” The Harpers will also get 75 percent of all the money in Matthews’ checking and savings account, though the will doesn’t specify how much money was in those accounts.
