Albert and Ethel Herzstein

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm just the one drivin' the story home. Albert H. Herzstein was born March 5, 1907, into a Jewish immigrant family in Trinidad, Colorado.

The family moved around, living in Clayton, New Mexico, and then Denver, Colorado, before Albert made a decision that would change everything. In 1925, he moved to Houston and started working for a small welding company. Now hold that thought, because that little welding company is going to matter.

On the other side of this story, Ethel Ann Davis was born April 13, 1896, right here in Fulshear, to a pioneer family with roots deep in Fort Bend County. Albert and Ethel met in Houston, and on September 17, 1927, they married. Two people from very different roads, finding the same door.

Albert's business mind didn't stay quiet for long. He purchased a one-third share in a welding company, and that company eventually grew to become Big Three Industries. He worked his way up to executive vice president and director.

And then he went further, establishing Herzstein Investments, Inc., a subsidiary of the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, which they established in 1965. Now here's where Ethel's roots come back into the picture. Her family had been instrumental in starting the First United Methodist Church in Fulshear.

And in 1979, after the couple had attained financial success, Ethel suggested they gift a new sanctuary for that church, in memory of their parents. That one suggestion opened something in Albert. His appreciation of the hardships of small communities inspired the couple to create grants through their foundation for deserving causes, including education, religion, support services for the underprivileged, and the arts.

They were married until Ethel's death on May 6, 1983. Albert kept going. The man who never finished high school received an honorary high school diploma from St.

Pius High School and a doctorate from the University of St. Thomas. In 1993, he was named Philanthropist of the Year by the Columbus Foundation of Ohio.

He ran the foundation and his real estate business until he died at age ninety on March 16, 1997. A welding company. A woman from Fulshear.

A charitable foundation. And a man who started with a third of something small and gave away something enormous.

What the marker says

Albert H. Herzstein was born March 5, 1907, into a Jewish immigrant family in Trinidad, Colorado. The family lived in Clayton, New Mexico, and moved to Denver, Colorado, before Albert moved to Houston in 1925 and began working for a small welding company. Ethel Ann Davis was born April 13, 1896, in Fulshear, to a pioneer family. Albert and Ethel met in Houston and the pair married on September 17, 1927. Albert's business career began when he purchased a one-third share in a welding company that eventually grew to become Big Three Industries. Albert worked his way up to executive vice president and director before establishing Herzstein Investments, Inc., a subsidiary of the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation established in 1965. Ethels family was instrumental in starting the First United Methodist Church in Fulshear and after the couple attained financial success, Ethel suggested in 1979 that they gift a new sanctuary for the church in memory of their parents. After this initial gift, Alberts appreciation of the hardships of small communities further inspired the couple to create grants through their foundation for deserving causes including education, religion, support services for the underprivileged and the Arts. The couple was married until Ethel's death on May 6th, 1983. In recognition of his contributions, Albert, who never finished high school, received an honorary high school diploma from St. Pius High School and a doctorate from the University of St. Thomas. In 1993, Albert was named Philanthropist of the Year by the Columbus Foundation of Ohio. He ran the foundation and real estate business until he died at age 90 on March 16, 1997. (2016)