Firstly sorry to hear about your mom.
I think the other way, I deserve the decency of being given proper notice and I wouldn't ever just let it go. Being from a small town will also back fire on you in that others will hear that they can walk all over you. It isn't a lot of hassle to send the email or text and then after you give her a chance to pay then you just go to the courthouse and fill out the papers, supply your evidence that she owes you and that is it. She will end up having to pay your court fees that you dished out to register. It is just a little amount of time, not a huge inconvenience. I don't like being used and certainly would not back down. Each to their own though.