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Alive! Vibrant! Generous! Energetic intellect!
Compassionate Spirit.
Not only do I speak about O.J. Weber, but ANN & O.J. the two
we knew and loved, almost as if they were one.
O.J. and his sister, Elaine, were raised on a cattle ranch near Stockdale, in Wilson County, Texas, a farming center SE of San Antonio. John Connally, who in 1938 was President of the Student Body, University of Texas at the same time O. J. was an honor student and leader of the UT Band; was from Floresville, also in Wilson County---the Connally farm was ten or so minutes from the Weber farm.
Lyndon Johnson was elected to Congress. John Connally was his legislative assistant.
John & O.J. were friends. Who was better suited than O.J. Weber, Wilson County boy, Phi Beta Kappa, 1941 honors graduate, to serve in Congressman Johnson's office. There were four in the office, LBJ, Mrs. Lady Bird Johnson, John Connally, and their secretary, young O.J. Weber.
Just imagine---three of the most significant people in twentieth Century Texas, if not America, and their fourth---O.J. Weber.
Connally & Johnson joined the Navy as I recall. That left Mrs. Johnson and her secretary, O.J. to man the office in Congress. The Weber family and the Johnson family have remained friends to this day.
.
In 1943 O.J. joined the United States Airforce, met and soon married a winsome Arkansas nurse, Ann Hooton. He entered Yale Law School, they birthed first Carol Ann, then Jim. He graduated Yale with honors, joined the prestigious law firm, Baker Botts in Houston. Thereafter he practiced briefly with the premier plaintiff's maritime firm, Mandell & Wright.
In 1955 he was persuaded to join Quentin Keith & Jim Mehaffy in Beaumont. I first worked for him in the summer of 1956 before I entered law school. Shortly before Dewey Gonsoulin joined the firm.
They took me on in 1959. It is now the late 1960's. O.J.'s friend John Connally, now Governor of Texas, and at O.J.'s request, appoints my dad as a judge of the Ninth Court of Appeals. He has taken the bench. There are four of us left in the firm. Jim Mehaffy, Dewey Gonsoulin & O.J. Weber. Three were Phi Beta Kappa/honors graduates. I was the out the outlier.
Neither Jim nor Dewey had any interest in managing the firm. O.J. appointed me, and for the next 12 or 14 years he and I did so.
I say "he and I", because there was scarcely an idea presented that he did not strip down to its bare bones---then support 100%.
As every witness quickly learned, as every opposing counsel and trial judge knew---as I, and as every young lawyer who worked for him will quickly tell you.
MOST OF US SEE A QUESTION AND SEVERAL POSSIBLE ANSWERS.
O.J. SAW AN ANSWER AND SEVERAL POSSIBLE QUESTIONS.
He would come in from the courthouse at 5:30 in the afternoon and give us an assignment. We would bring him a completed answer---in writing, with authorities cited, promtly at 7:00 o'clock the next morning---only to learn there were many more layers to that onion than we had pealed.
It was from the base of the four ---Jim, Dewey, O.J. and myself that the law firm MehaffyWeber has prospered. As Dewey will tell you, O.J. was our dominant draw. Because of him we were able to attract some terrifically capable men and women who have built the firm to its present stature.
First, John Bell & Jim McGinnis & Kurt Andreason---allowing us to become more than just a group of trial lawyers. Then, John Rienstra, Airforce Capt Dan Flatten and Naval Lt. Roger McCabe. Young, now retired, District Judge Jim Mehaffy
This led to my dear friend and partner---Jim Weber---a marvelous blend of O.J.'s intellect and energy and Ann's warm smile and joie de vivre.
While serving as a Director of the State Bar of Texas he recognized the talents of its then executive, our former D.A., Tom Hanna---whom we persuaded to join us. Then Jim Graves and Jack Smith, Art Almquist, David Gaultney, Lou Scofield and Texas Tech stars M.C. Carrington, Tom Walston, Bob Black, Gene Williams --- and others.
Ours was the first firm of multiple lawyers in our area to engage young women lawyers---and to my personal knowledge Pat Chamblin and Sandra Clark --- and others I do not know as well--- have been a major contributor to the continuing success of the firm.
Recently, I have appeared in two courts. On each side of the case was a MehaffyWeber lawyer, apart from me, past and present. On the bench was a judge---also originally from our firm. This, too, is a legacy of O.J. Weber.
I know this is too long---more than the five minutes I was allotted. However, two or three stories---I told you O.J. was energetic.
He was intellectually gifted and a prodigious worker---in everything---in the law practice, as an avid and astute investor-as a dedicated churchman. As a husband and father of extreme devotion.
He was also nimble of mind. Jim Mehaffy had a duck lease on the White ranch I believe, which we accessed at night on the Intra-Coastal Canal in Chambers County. Dewey & I, two or three Mehaffy boys, O.J. and district judge Gordon Gary were there. The Judge and O.J. were in the same blind the next morning.
It was foggy that early morning in the marsh. A bird appears---ex-Marine Gary, ex-Air Force Weber---bang away in the gray mist. Each proclaiming, "I got him, I got him". As this bird is still in its fatal descent Weber realizes its not a duck or goose at all. It's a Roseate Spoonbill---leading the list of Endangered Species---whereupon, even before there's a splash Weber quickly adjusts---"nice shot Judge".
One more story. It was in the early 1970's. Ours was basically an insurance/railroad clientele ---although O.J. loved a good personal injury plaintff's case, we had very few. He came in my office early one morning---as he so often did---and said, "you know, Bob, it's not better lawyers or more clients that we need; what we need are some aggressive plaintiff's lawyers. ---
This was a year a two or before Ward Stephenson and Judge Fisher's Borel decision---and the explosion of asbestos litigation.
I can see him now, singing, playing jazz on the saxophone or flailing at a tennis ball--terrible driver.
The great soccer player PELE defined O.J. Weber's single mantra:
"If it moves, kick it. If it doesn't move, kick it until it does".
A great lawyer, great mentors and examples to many of us here. Our friends and partners: Ann and O.J. Weber.
Thank-you.
