Etta James Dementia, Leukemia

Soul stirrer Etta James, now 72, is fighting for her life after being diagnosed with dementia and leukemia, but her health woes have been further complicated by a brewing family feud over her money.

Artis Mills, who has been married to the “At Last” crooner for 41 years, is seeking a court order to gain control of her estate, estimated to be worth more than $1 million, The Associated Press said Thursday.

The petition hasn’t gone over very well with Donto James, Etta’s only son. In a court declaration of his own, Donto writes that he does not object to some of his mother’s money being released to his stepfather to cover the costs of her healthcare. But he’s asking that such transactions be overseen by a third party, “to avoid present and future family conflict and discrepancies.”

In the court documents filed in California this week, Beverly Hills physician Elaine James, who has been treating the ailing singer says James cannot sign her name and needs help with the most basic aspects of human life, including feeding and dressing herself.

A court hearing on the matter is scheduled for Friday.

James has not performed publicly since early 2010. A short time later, she entered drug rehab for her dependency on painkillers and over-the-counter drugs. Her treatment was cut shot when she was hospitalized with sepsis later that year.

James — a former heroin addict — was played by singing superstar Beyonce Knowles in the 2008 film Cadillac Records.