The Penny Record (Bridge City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 48, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 1, 1998 Page: 1 of 24
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VOTED REST NON-DAILY ★ AN EXCELLENCE IN MEDIA AWARDS WINNER
proud
■
Apparent Error
leaves Webber
Estate To Son
By Chris Farkas-For Thk Rkcord
1j or the first time in his life. Michael Q.
||l 1 Webber is in line to inherit the majority of his
JL father’s $20 million estate.
Due to what Seldon Graham, attorney for the West
Point Association of Graduates, has described as a
“scribner's error," the will gives the balance of
Absalom Webber's estate to the Michael Q. Webber
trust. And despite Webber's expressed wishes, nothing
will go to the West Point Association of Graduates or
Texas A&M University.
Webber was found dead Dec. 5 in his Jamaica
Beach home from a heart attack. His estate is currently
being reviewed by the probate court in Galveston.
In the will, Webber's attorney. Herbert
Christenberry. created the "unitrust." This fund, which
includes all funds left over after several individual
bequests, was, according to numerous friends and
associates of Webber, to be given to the Association of
Graduates of West Point and Texas A&M University
Development Foundation.
However, the will actually states, “The beneficiary
of this unitrust shall be the Michael Q. Webber Trust
#3.”
A prominent local attorney, who has drawn-
approximately 3,000 wills in his career, has reviewed
the document for The Record Newspapers.
\
“If Michael Webber lives to age 75, the/i West Point
and Texas A&M get nothing.”
He continued, “But the real problem with the will is
that under the laws of the state of Texas, it is bad news
to write a will that includes yourself as a beneficiary.”
The will states that all of Webber’s personal
property is to go to Christenberry, including a gold
watch, a West Point class ring and an automobile.
In addition, the will is not specific about how money
is to be distributed to Michael Webber during the life
of the trust.
Christenberry said, “I think there is a mistake in the
trust agreement.” However, Christenberry stressed that
he did not draw the trust agreement.“The tax guys
drew that portion of the will,/ he said.
Seth Hudgins, President of the West Point
Association of Graduates, was surprised to hear of the
wording of the will. .
“I was not aware of that,” said Hudgins. “(Webber)
expressed that there would be a large sum coming to
the Association of Graduates (in Webber’s will). But
he did not say how much.”
Many other people who claim to have known
Webber concur with the opinion that he intended for
much of his estate to go to West Point.
“He talked about his money quite a bit. He was
proud of being self-made. He made all of his money
and he was proud of that. And he wanted to leave most
of his money to West Point,” said Maxine Alfei,
Absalom Webber’s Jamaica Beach house has been uninhabited since the millionaire was found dead Dec. 5. The owner of
the house is listed in the Galveston County Tax Collector's office as N.V. Chic. Chic’s mailing address is listed as the same as
Webber’s Houston address. • Photo By Chris Farkas
Webber’s former next door neighbor in Jamaica
Beach. *
Graham believes the situation can be remedied in
probate court.
“It is quite clear that the intent of Mr. Webber was,
as he had always planned to do, to leave the bull of his
estate to West Point. The intent of the trust to ok son
has always been a spendthrift trust. I think thaf«an be
remedied.” Graham explained.
Graham, who was a classmate of Webber’s at West
Point and had maintained contact with Webber for
much of his life, described Webber’s relationship with
his only son.
“It is obvious that his son has not yet accepted
personal responsibility to act in an adult manner. Mr.
Webber has been disappointed in the actions of his
only child most of his life. He has tried to help him.
and he set up this spendthrift trust quite early after he
got a considerable amount of money. The purpose of
the trust is certainly not to provide Michael with so
much money that he will immediately do things to ruin
his life even more than he has already done,” Graham
said.
The description of Michael Webber does not
improve in Christenberry’s assessment. Christenberry
is the Metairie, La., lawyer who drew up the will with
its apparent error; he also serves as executor for the
estate.
During his March 10 deposition, Christenberry said,
“He’s had drug problems for quite a while. If you have
a list of them (halfway houses), he’s probably been in
all of them.” ,
Christenberry also confirmed in his deposition at
least two instances where Michael Webber has served
time in jail.
See ERROR Page 2 ,
Christenberry
concedes first
Peterson trust
Above: Donna Peterson
Absalom T. Webber executed an
Irrevocable Inter Vivos Trust, known as
the Donna Peterson Trust, that was to
contain $1 million in Exxon stock. Webber
signed the agreement and authorized the
transfer of the stock into the account.
However, the Peterson trust was never
funded Photo By Mark Dunn
By Chris Farkas-For Thk Rkcord
I I erbert Christenberry, executor for
the estate of Absalom Webber.
JL JLhas petitioned the 24th Judicial
District Court in Jefferson Parish. La., to
release funding for the $1 million Peterson
trust.
The petition, filed March 23, seeks a
court order allowing Christenberry, as
trustee of the Peterson trust, to fulfill his
fiduciary duties outlined in the Aug. 14
agreement signed by Webber.
According to the petition, Webber
executed an Irrevocable Inter Vivos Trust,
known as the Donna Peterson Trust, that
was to contain $1 million in Exxon stock.
Webber signed the agreement and
authorized the transfer of the stock into the
account. However, the Peterson trust was ’
never funded.
In Christenberry s March 10 sworn
deposition he stated the reason for the trust
dealt with Webber’s desire that his then
bride-to-be not work during their
marriage.
Peterson's attorney Steve Carlton asked,
“Now. didn’t Mr. Webber express to you
that he aid not want her to work? He did
not want her to take this job?”
Christenberry responded, "Oh, yeah.
Yeah, no question about it."
Should this trust be funded, it will be
the only money received by Peterson to
date from her marriage to Webber. Friends
of Webber have said that during the
marriage, she supported herself from
savings accrued prior to the marriage.
“He (Webber) was a very frugal man
He enjoyed talking about his money and
bragging about being a self-made man
See PETERSON TRUST Page 2
No
contender
Young hero Andrew Mambretti .with Bridge City Mayor John Dubose, bus driver Bonnie Broom
and BCI Principal Larry Buchman. Mambretti saved the life of elderly man Walter Dupre, who had
fallen into a ditch filled with mud and watt He will be recognized by the City Council at their
upcoming April meeting.
BC student saves life,
honored as hereo
By Vic ki Parkait-For Thk Rkcord
News in the Nation:
In Jonesboro, Ark., the killing of four
middle school students and their teacher
and the wounding of several more
children is made more horrific by the fact
that the perpetrators are only 11 and 13
years old. The country reels with the
debate of whether children should be tried
as adults while the younger of the two
gunmen is reported to be "crying to go
home to his mother."
News in Orange County:
I n Bridge City. Tex., a 12-year-
I old boy nding the bus home from
A school saves the life of an elderly
man. The bus driver assists in the
roadside rescue while other students on
the bus remain calm and in control
thoughout the ordeal
Bus driver Belinda Broom said she was
driving her route on Tuesday. March 24,
taking her students home as usual, when
she saw an elderly man, a pedestrian, turn
around and start walking backward.
"I think he was watching, afraid he
might get hit by the bus. There was
plenty of room, but he lost his balance and
went over into that ditch," Broom said. -
The ditch, parallel to the street in the
200 block of Liveoak, is deeper than
most, according to Broom. That day it
was filled with water, and because of
heavy rains, thick mud almost as deep as
the water was layered in the bottom.
"He was definitely in trouble." Broom
said of Walter Dupre, who was
"struggling to get up and couldn't."
"I knew I had to do something." she
said.
Stopping the bus. Broom intended to go
in and help Dupre, but Andrew
Mambretti, already removing his socks.
See STUDENT HERO Page 2
I ohn Dubose definitely will
I not run for mayor again this
j year. Bobbie Burgess isn't
even bothering to campaign for City
Council, Place 2. James B. Stevens
has elected not to try to collect votes
for Council Place 4. and Warren
"Buddy” Sheppard won’t even
bother to vote for himself for Place
6.
None of them have to. In the City
of Bridge City elections, they are
unopposed.. .again!
"This marks the third year in a
row that we've been unopposed,?
Mayor John Dubose said. "I think
it's a first in the history of Bridge
City."
See NO CONTENDERS Page 3
Rocking J
branded best
for March
■ * he Rocking J Cafe won the
I Bridge City Chamber of
Commerce's nomination for
the March business of the month.
TTie chamber presented owner
Pamela Johnnie a certificate of
appreciation at their monthly coffee
hosted by Kid's Safari
"1 appreciate the recognition,"
Johnnie said. "Thanks goes to the
chamber."
Johnnie opened the Rocking J in
Orangcfield two years ago this
month. She began with four
See ROCKING J Page 3
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The Penny Record (Bridge City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 48, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 1, 1998, newspaper, April 1, 1998; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1170340/m1/1/?q=food+rule+for+unt+students: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .