Two Generations of Power: Jasper Family’s Legacy at Sam Rayburn Powerplant

Tom Webb, center, stands with family members during his retirement celebration on July 23, 2025. Tom recently retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District after more than 25 years of service in hydropower. Like his father, Glen Webb (second from left), Tom retired from the Sam Rayburn Powerplant—22 years after his father. Pictured left to right: Karen (Tom’s stepmother), Glen (father), Michelle (wife), Wyatt (youngest son), Kristi (sister-in-law), and Donny (youngest brother).

Photo by Patrick Adelmann, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

JASPER, Texas – For more than 60 years, the name “Webb” has been quietly written into the infrastructure and history of East Texas. Not in flashing lights or bold headlines, but in water pressure, turbine maintenance, and the deep hum of hydropower at the Sam Rayburn Powerplant—where both father and son would spend the better part of their lives in service to the nation.

Donald “Glen” Webb joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 1968, shortly after serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War. In 1984, he moved his family to Jasper and took on the role of senior operator at the Sam Rayburn Powerplant. He would remain there until his retirement in 2003, closing out a nearly 40-year federal career defined by resilience, service, and hard work.

But his son, Tom Webb, wasn’t far behind.

“I never imagined I’d fill my dad’s boots,” Tom said. “But when the opportunity came, he encouraged me—and the rest just fell into place.”

After graduating from Jasper High School in 1986, Tom enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving for 10 years before returning to Texas. A job opening at the Sam Rayburn Powerplant in 2000 put him back on familiar ground—this time as a laborer. With quiet determination and a deep-rooted work ethic, Tom steadily rose through the ranks over the next 25 years, eventually becoming the Hydropower Manager for the Fort Worth District.

Throughout his career, he served not only at Sam Rayburn but also at Whitney and R.D. Willis powerplants, earning respect across the state for his leadership and commitment to teamwork.

“We all have jobs—whether you’re working at a dam or behind a desk in Washington,” Tom said. “But success doesn’t come from titles. It comes from relationships, and the friendships you build along the way.”

When Tom informed his father he was moving into management, Glen offered a simple, proud smile and a bit of trademark wisdom:

“That’s not where the money is,” Glen joked. “Being an operator is the best job in the plant.”

But leadership was where Tom shined, according to his colleagues. And while he retired in March 2025, his legacy will remain—as will the legacy of a family that gave so much of their lives to keep the lights on in East Texas.

On July 23, Tom celebrated his retirement surrounded by loved ones at the same facility where both he and his father spent decades working side-by-side with nature, wrangling the raw power of water into something that sustains families, businesses, and communities across the region.

“I’m proud of my career in USACE,” Glen said. “And I’m proud of Tom, just as I am of all three of my boys. It’s been a blessing to see him serve.”

As the Webb family steps into retirement, their story remains rooted in Jasper, in the very hum of the turbines they helped operate, and in the hearts of a grateful community.