Wendy Reves’ 78 tapes: life, W&M gift, French court battle

Wendy Reves, who endowed William & Mary’s Reves Center for International Studies, left 78 audio tapes detailing her life and decision to support the university. A French court is litigating a controversial later will signed by Reves in Dallas, potentially altering her original will which designated 40 percent of her multi-million dollar estate to the W&M center. The tapes, held in London, might be relevant to the legal outcome. Her initial 3 million dollar donation was W&M’s largest single gift then, prompted by a recommendation to promote her late husband Emery’s ideas.