Who are "they"?
Makes sense. I assume the pension company wants to pay the money to the estate instead. Correct? Are you a beneficiary of her estate? Are there other beneficiaries of the estate?
I have a hard time believing there are no lawyers or firms in Spokane that handle pension benefit matters, but you may have to go outside the area. By the way, at the opening of your post, you said this relates to estate proceedings in California. Does that mean your mother lived in California at the time of her death?

