PASSINGS : Martha Saif; Millionaire Lost Her Fortune

Martha Saif, 80, a former millionaire who was the subject of a battle over whether she should receive state benefits. Mrs. Saif once was worth more than $1 million, owning a furniture store, several homes and an extensive antique collection. But her family says she was bilked out of her fortune and was unable to pay nursing home expenses. After being denied state benefits because she had sought legal redress to regain her assets, the Dickinson Nursing Center moved to evict the wheelchair-bound woman. But Mrs. Saif turned her legal claim over to the nursing home, making her eligible for state benefits and allowing her to stay. In Dickinson, N.D., on Friday.