My Mom outlived Dad by 20 years, passing at age 94. Her stock portfolio was split 3 ways between me and my two sisters. Her house was also split 3 ways, but I ended up giving my 1/3 to my older sister, as she took care of Mom for the most part.
The stock value in 2012 was about $35k each. All paid out dividends thru out the years. I took the dividends in cash and deposited the checks in savings. That $35k is now worth about $140k. A few years ago I was talking to my sisters (we live 1000 miles apart) and found that they sold all their stocks early on, and split the money with their kids. And of course the monies quickly disappeared.
My Wife's Mother outlived her Father and she ended up with about $65k in cash. She spent $4k on a flat screen tv, a beautiful stand, and a Blu Ray player. The rest remains untouched, earning interest.