The Penny Record (Bridge City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 48, Ed. 1 Wednesday, April 1, 1998 Page: 2 of 24
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Error leaves Webber Estate To Son
Michael Q. Webber’* most recent
arrest found by The Record involves
a 1996 charge for possession of
cocaine in Harris County. After
entering a plea of no contest,
Webber was sentenced to 9 months
probation.
However, after failing to appear
before the probation department
after May 1997, a warrant was
issued for his arrest and the younger
Webber was placed in the Harris
County Jail Oct. 9, 1997. He com-
pleted his sentence and was released
Sept. 30, 1997.
The next contact between
Absalom Webber and his son that
can be documented occurred in
November, 1997.
Upon hearing that Michael
Webber was in his Jamaica Beach
house. Absalom Webber is reported
to have become upset enough to
have the police called to remove his
son from the house.
“Ab called and Matt said. Oh,
you must be home. I see a light on.,’
and he (Webber) said, ‘No. It’s not
me. There shouldn't be anybody
there. See what kind of car it is.’ And
Matt went out and he told him. And
(Webber) said, Oh. That's my son.’.I
And he got real upset about that.”
Alfei said.
According to Alfei. “his son was a
big disappointment. He had been in
quite a few drug treatment centers."
She spoke of the effect Michael's
numerous trips to drug treatment
centers had on Webber. “Like any
parent, he would hope it would work
and then he'd try something else.
But the kid was very smart, he grad-
uated from la\V school but never
took the bar as far as I know but he
had to have something on the ball.
And I’m sure Ab kept thinking that
Christen-
berry
concedes
first
Peterson
trust
From Page 1
But I seldom saw him spend that
much." said Maxie Alfei. Webber's
former next door neighbor in
Jamaica Beach.
Christenberry said. “After some
thought. I have to tell you, they
ought to go ahead and transfer it but
I realize they shouldn't without a
court order.”
Christenberry's petition is in
response to a suit filed in Louisiana
against Christenberry personally,
seeking to have the trustee fulfill his
fudiciary responsibilities.
one of these days he’s going to grow
up and do something with his life.
He spent a lot of money, 1 think
that’s where he spent a lot of his
money on his son’s drug treatment.”
Sgt. D. Kershaw of the Jamaica
Beach Police Department confirmed
the call to remove Michael Webber
from the house.
“I was called out to the Webber
house twice,” Kershaw said. On the
first call she said, “I got a call to run
his son out of the house.”
However, no report was filed on
the incident to the best of the
sergeant’s knowledge.
Kershaw returned to the Webber
house Nov. 8, 1997 to take a report
on items stolen from the house.
Included in this list is a stereo and
Webber’s nickel-plated .38 calibre
Coit snub-nose revolver.
Because the case involves an on-
going investigation, the Jamaica
Beach police department cannot
release all details of the incident.
However, the offense report cover
sheet lists the owner of the vehicle
involved as Michael Q. Webber.^
And under the question “will com-
plainant prosecute,” Webber
instructed Kershaw to mark “yes.”
Published reports have quoted
Graham as saying that if his friend
Webber were going to commit sui-
cide, as a military man, he would
have used a gun.
However, according to the police
report, Webber’s only gun at the
Jamaica Beach house had been
stolen.
The will, as it is drawn currently,
specifically lays out the procedure
for paying items from the estate.
First, all of Webber’s personal
/J
; VOTE
DEMOCRATIC1
1
V.
,v
*1
Pictured from left, State Appellate Court Judge Don Burgess, an Orange County resident; David Bemsen, for-
mer Highway'Commission chairman and Beaumont resident running for State Senator; and Orange County Judge
Carl Thibodeaux seeking his second term. » .
Democrats hold county convention
The Orange County Democratic Convention
was held last Saturday at the Lamar-Orange
Student Center. Precinct chairmen and workers
throughout the county joined candidates running
for office.
Orange County Democrats facing Republican
opponents in three major races in November are
Judge Don Burgess. David Bemsen and County
Judge Carl Thibodeaux.
Don Burgess of Bridge City sits on
theAppellate Court. Burgess is the only state
candidate from Orange County; he faces a lawyer
from The Woodlands near Houston. Burgess
runs thoughout 19 counties.
Judge Burgess said, "I will certainly be count-
ing on the support of my fellow Orange
Countians for us to hold a seat on the court.
"Someone from Orange County has served on
the Appellate Court for the past 30 years,"
Burgess continued. "It's very important that we
hold onto that seat. With the voter registration in
Montgomery County. I will need the help of all
our friends. Orange County can be the saving
votes, but it's going to be important. We get out
the vote or lose the only state office we hold."
David Bemsen. candidate for State Senate, is
opposing Mike Galloway, also from the Houston
suburb. Galloway, a Republican senator, won te
primary over Bill Leigh, also of The Woodlands.
Bemsen. former Highway Commission chair-
innan and a resident of Beaumont, also sees
Orange County as a key player in the election of
the next State Senator from the Golden Triangle.
"It's important that we have local representa-
tion in the Texas State Senate." Bemsen said.
"We'll need grassroots support to regain this
important office.”
Galloway has made very few appearances in
Orange County since his election over Carl
Parker. •
County Judge Carl Thibodeaux, who will be
completing his first term, will be counted on
heavily to pull (he wagon for the Democrats.
Thibodeaux cites the advances that have been
made during his first term and the many good
thing on the horizon Tor Orange County as we
move into the next millenium.
"We must keep our progress moving forward
and our economy strong while searching for
more ways to attract more jobs and continued
growth." the County Judge said. -
Thibodeaux is opposed by Orange business-
man Wayne Reeh. who is making his first run for
County Judge. The Republican candidate ran
unsuccessfully for Pet. 2 County Commissioner
four years ago.
Congressman Jim Turner, who is also facing a
Republican candidate, was unable to attend the
county convention due to illness.
limes have changed...
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effects are left to Christenberry as
executor.
Under the category of bequests,
Donna Peterson is to be paid a trust
of $4 million. This bequest was later
modified by codicils in considera-
tion for the signing of a marriage
contract.
Christenberry’s two grandchildren
then each receive a $50,000 trust
free of taxes.
During his deposition,
Christenberry acknowledged his
grandchildren receive better treat-
ment in the will than any of the other
benefactors. All other bequests leave
the payment of taxes as the respon-
sibility of the benefactor. The grand-
children receive their bequest, “free
of all tax responsibilities, and the
amounts so provided shall be net
after taxes.”
Webber’s secretary^ Darla
Phillips, is to receive $100,000 in
cash.
Following this, the A.T. and D.
Webber trust is created to authorize
a $1 million trust to benefit any chil-
dren bom to Donna Peterson-
Webber.
Then, Webber bequests the inter-
est in the “unitrust” to the Michael
Q. Webber Trust #3.
The will gives numerous smaller
donations to a plethora of smaller
universities and churches for various
functions.
The remainder of Webber’s estate
goes into the unitrust which contin-
ues until Michael Webber becomes
75 years old.
According to Graham, “ I think it
is quite clear that there may have
simply been an omission in typing
this most recent will and it left out
some of the things that the other
wills had contained.” Graham con-
tends that all previous wills had very
specifically spelled out that West
Point was to receive the majority of
Webber’s estate.
\
Local student
saves life
honored as hero
* o «
From Page 1
shoes and shirts volunteered, "I'll get it, Mrs. Belinda," and jumped into
the water. • ’
"It was on a Tuesday afternoon around 3:27 p.m.," the youth reported.
"You doft'l see somebody start walking backwards and falling into ditches
pretty often.
' "I knew he needed help," Mambretti said. ”1 wasn't afraid. I just didn't
know what I was doing until I was out there. Then it just came to me."
He and Broom quickly determined that the man's lower body was held
fast in the muck.
"We couldn't move him at first," Broom related. "He was fighting, and
he was just dead weight. There was nothing I could do alone. Then
Andrew just took over while I held the man's head out of the water with
both hands."
’ "I got my feet up under his rear,” Mambretti took up the story, "and kind
of worked his bottom half out of the mud. while Mrs. Broom tried to help
pull him out."
The man, apparently disoriented, continued to struggle while his resJ
cuers fought to save him from drowning.
"Finally he came loose and we got him out," Mambretti said. "I was
just glad he was okay,"
The young man attributes his skillful handling of the crisis to his Boy
Scout training. ,
"I learned it in Boy Scouts. I'm not really certified yet," he said of his
lifesaving technique, "but I have a good general idea, so I thought I could
help. I just didn't want that man to die or anything." .
Out of the ditch, Mambretti massaged the map's back and brushed the
mud from his wet clothes. /
"I knew from the Scout book that we were supposed to stay calm and
keep the victim calm if he was panicking, so I just told him he was going
to be okay," the young hero concluded.
Neighbor Doug Schell said Mr. Dupre was following his normal routine
on that afternoon the ended up as anything but normal or routine.
Schell, "working on the car out back." said that by the time he respond-
ed to Broom's calls for help the crisis was over.
"I had heard the bus stop and didn't hear it leave," he said, "but until my
wife told me. I had, no idea what was going on. They had already rescued
the man."
Schell walked Dupre back to his home. "He has some debilitation and
has lived alone since his wife died about a year and a half ago,” Schell
explained. "He kept saying he wasn't hurt, but his balance was kind of
gone."
Broom cited the other children for remaining calm during the incident.
She had high praise for Mambretti.
"The kids on the bus were great," she said. "They sat down and were
quiet, exactly as they had been taught. I was proud of all of them. And
Andrew. I didn't tell him anything. He just did it on his own.
"I was amazed and so proud of him." she added. "It makes me feel
more comfortable knowing that when I'm driving the bus. if something
comes up. I have kids like Andrew I can count on.
"I would definitely call him a hero." Broom declared. "Because the
man's response time and judgment at the moment was impaired, there was
a strong possibility that he would drown. Andrew probably saved his
life."
Andrew is the son of Jerry and Kathleen Mambretti. He has two sisters.
Andrea and Natalie. His mother, a registered nurse at St. Mary Hospital,
and his dad. an employee of Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife, are
justifiably proud but not surprised at their son's valor.
"We're proud that he was conscientious enough to respond and that he
had the skills to assist when and where he was needed," his father com-
mented. "He's a good boy. He's been given good parental structure and
diversity. He's in Scouts and also active at St. Henry's Catholic Church."
Scoutmaster John Allison said Mambretti's act of bravery will be sub-
mitted to headquarters for a possible Award of Merit.
"We are very proud of Andrew Mambretti. He pays attention and
learns, and now. because of that, a man s life has been saved. That's what
Scouting is all about." Allison said, adding. "Andrew Mambretti is already
making a difference in the world."
Andrew's school and hometown agree Bridge City Intermediate School
Principal Larry Buchman said. "We're very proud of the young man. He's
just a nice, quiet, well-behaved kid who came through when it was need-
ed."
School administrators presented Mambretti with a certificate of recogni-
tion and a six-pack of Big Red soft drinks. (The Bridge City ISD mascot
is the Cardinal, affectionately known as "Big Red ")
Buchman also passed the praise to all the students of BCI, where he
said, "good kids are the norm, not the exception."
Mayor John Dubose said Mambretti will be proclaimed a hero at the
upcoming April meeting of City Council.
"We'll give him a whole case of Big Red." he said.
In addition. The Record Newspapers have established a scholarship
fund for Andrew Mambretti at Bridge City Bank to offer the community
the opportunity to express appreciation to Andrew and all the youth of the
community for the good things they do that don't always make the news
4
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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/m1/2/?q=food+rule+for+unt+students: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .