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Article published Oct 29, 2003
Late senator's will divides his estate

Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- Strom Thurmond left an estate initially estimated at $200,000 and gave much of it to family, former aides and favorite institutions.The value of the assets might be more after an inventory is complete, said Jim Jones, personal representative of Thurmond's estate.The nine-page will of the nation's oldest and longest serving United States senator was filed Monday at the Aiken County courthouse.Thurmond left his largest cash bequest, $50,000, to his daughter, Julie Thurmond Whitmer, who lives in Washington, D.C. The smallest bequests, $250 each, were given to the First Baptist Church of Edgefield and the First Baptist Church of Aiken.In the will, dated March 2, 1999, Thurmond forgives his widow, Nancy Moore Thurmond, of any debts she might have owed. The couple had been estranged since the early 1990s, but never divorced. Specific debts were not identified.Thurmond's will also directed that she receive his Social Security benefits, as well as his U.S. Senate, U.S. Army and South Carolina retirement benefits.It was unclear what those pension benefits would total, but The State said they could be more than $75,000 annually, based on previous estimates of Thurmond's benefits.She could not be reached for comment.Thurmond died June 26 at age 100, having served 48 years in the U.S. Senate. He also served as an educator, state senator, state judge and governor.He had given away many of his assets to various charities, Clemson University, and his family over the years, Jones said Monday.Papers filed Monday said Thurmond had "established scholarships at every four-year college and every technical college in South Carolina."Jones, a certified public accountant and attorney in Columbia, handled Thurmond's taxes for years and is handling the estate at the request of Thurmond's family.An inventory of Thurmond's assets will be filed within 90 days, Jones said.Neither of Thurmond's sons, Strom Thurmond Jr., the U.S. attorney for South Carolina, and Paul Thurmond, a Charleston attorney, are receiving a specific cash amount.Strom Thurmond Jr. said Monday, "I'm not going to get into a public discussion of my dad's will. It would be unseemly of me."Paul Thurmond was not available.A provision of the will entitles Thurmond's three children to equally split whatever remains of the late senator's property after specific bequests are made.The late senator's sisters are given $5,000 each; a cousin is to receive $4,000.The will also spells out specific bequests to longtime assistants, top aides Warren Abernathy and Robert "Duke" Short are to be given $4,000 each.Thurmond donated papers and other items to Clemson University and his books to Strom Thurmond High School in Edgefield.