This plane was easy to spot as it towed a Whataburger banner in the air and blared its duck-like airhorn.9, After every flight, business would do well. Andrews developed a close relationship with Dobson; he even coined the companys popular slogan, We build a bigger, better burger., Today, those oversized burgers and the promise of fresh ingredients generate annual sales of $1.8 billion, making Whataburger the thirty-third-largest restaurant chain in the countryand the second-largest founded and based in Texas, after Chilis. However, Dobson was already looking to move on to bigger ventures. He died when his private plane, a Cessna Skymaster, crashed shortly after takeoff. What disappointed Harmon most about this era was the news that although he was accepted to the University of Missouri to study journalism, he would never graduate. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. I'm going to miss her, too." Harmon Archibald Dobson (October 8, 1913 - April 11, 1967) was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. In 1953 , Joe Andrews received the first Whataburger franchise, and business was booming. The beloved Nickel Mugnow a classic piece of Americanadebuted as a promotion which was supposed to last 1-year but ended up running for 14. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. In 1934, Dobson started work as an apprentice ironworker, he later became a shipbuilder at the start of World War II. Great job on your article Courtney! There were nine crew members on board. 1967. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. There was a problem getting your location. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. cemeteries found in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. This is a terrible time to risk messing with the Whataburger brand. However, news broke out in June 2019 that Whataburger sold a controlling interest in the company to Chicago- based investment banking firm BDT Capital. Angel was a bit more adventurous than Dobson, though both crashed several times in Africa while mining for diamonds. Man dies after crashing his plane near U.S. 40. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. On June 23, 1950, the Texas Secretary of State office granted Dobson the trademark for Whataburger. Dobson then invested more time and more effort into developing the first Whatabuger.4, Eventually, on August 8, 1950, Dobson opened and sold his first Whataburger through the window of a little portable building. On August 8, 2000, Whataburger proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary with 575 restaurants in operation and millions of fans all over the country. Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Harmon Dobson (16533251)? Whataburger is so common to me, as a Texan, that I forget not every state has one. He was not afraid to tell people if they did not meet his standards.. Sadly, in 2005, Whataburger Family Members mourned the loss of Lady Grace as she was called by many. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Months later, Harmon raised the prices for burgers to 35 cents. In 2001, the 77th Texas Legislature officially recognized what Texans had known for more than 50 years: Whataburger is a designated a Texas Treasure.' Lawrence Jagmin, of Frankfort, crashed Tuesday evening near Illinois 394 and Lincoln Highway in Ford Heights. This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. Private burial will be in Seaside Memorial Park. But in April of that year, a plane accident cut short Harmon's life, leaving her with three . Really great article. The struggles that Dobson endured building such an important food chain are inspiring. At 4:28 p.m, the plane took off, but, unfortunately, something went wrong. Other franchisees settled their disputes in a separate agreement as part of Whataburgers efforts to repair its strained relations with them. Beechcraft Model 18. List of fatalities from aviation accidents - Wikipedia Oops, something didn't work. Mary Lynne and Hugh are both members of the board of directors. Andrews, a longtime friend of Whataburger founder Harmon Dobsons, wasnt simply the companys first franchisee, he was its most successful, opening dozens of locations in Texas and helping the chain build its reputation. What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. For many years the Andrews family has been instrumental to Whataburgers success. The meat and vegetables were always fresh, never frozen. The purpose of this is to explore expansion plans in the northern area of the United States while staying true to the brands message.15 Some of the brand messages can be found in The Whataburger Difference. The Whataburger Difference is what separates the company from every other competitor that they have and one of the five points of focus is to protect and serve the best products in the industry.16 With this said, hopefully Texans will stay true to the family brand as changes occur, which would surely make Dobson proud of how his company has grown. The case went to trial in 1993, but the two sides settled before the jury reached a verdict. Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3151 Reid Drive. By 1960, Whataburger had 17 restaurants. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love. 1 Colonization and Settlement (1500-1763), 2 Revolution and Early Republic (1754-1801), 4 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877), 5 Emergence of Modern America (1877-1929), 4 Late Middle Ages-Renaissance-Reformation Europe (1300-1648), 3 Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE), HS 1302 United States History since 1877, SP 3392 Language Variation and Dialectology of Spanish, Dom DiFurio and Oria McCaffrey, Whataburgers founding family sells controlling stake in iconic Texas chain,, College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. There is a problem with your email/password. [4] Burton and Harmon decided that Burton would own the Whataburger franchises in San Antonio, Texas, while Harmon would own the rest of the company and its franchises. "She was a very shy woman, who didn't want the limelight," Adler said Friday. Most people thought Grace Dobson would sell her rapidly growing hamburger business after her husband died in a private plane crash in 1967. . Plane hit power line before crash near Edmonton that killed well-known He had $2500 to invest in the right deal involving oil, and eventually, he became partners with Henry Mode on an oil lease in Loving County, Texas.2 Yet, this investment did not lead to success. The new CEO and president of Whataburger was Tom Dobson, the son of Harmon and Grace Dobson. This is the era in which country music legend Mel Tillis started appearing in television commercials for the company, a role that would continue through the 80s. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. In 1952, Dobson opened a location in Kingsville, Texas, this was the first store located outside of Corpus Christi. In 1969, Grace became chairman of the board. As a team, they expanded the Whataburger chain and had a family. Today, Whataburger is a billion-dollar industry, all because of the efforts of Whataburgers saving Grace. ! In 2001, the Whataburger Family Foundation officially began, though the charitable efforts had been ongoing since day one. Grace Dobson, also known as Lady Grace, is the famous face behind the Whataburger empire. Harmon was a stickler for cleanliness and very detailoriented, his sister LenaRae explained to biographer Greg Woolridge. In short, Whataburger made it very plain that its position is that Whataburger never intended WOA would have the benefits that the 1993 Agreement clearly states that it does, the lawsuit says. When I think of Whataburger, I immediately think of Texas and burgers. She also gave copious amounts of her time and money back to Corpus Christi and the state. However, if one thinks about it, if it were not for this incident, Dobson would not have gone down the road that he did to finance Whataburger. This is such a great topic! New specialty items included the Whataburger Patty Melt and the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich. The likeness of Andrews, wearing a cowboy hat and mounted on a limestone pedestal, was commissioned to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the oldest franchise of the iconic Texas burger chain. Ways to honor Grace Dobson's life and legacy. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. The company also passed the 500-store threshold, making it the nation's eighth-largest hamburger chain. Dobson was a notorious bachelor, but he had always liked a beautiful young widow he met at the C.I.T. Credit Corporation in Batesville during his auto dealing years. (Dobson remains as chairman.) Even the grandchildren work at Whataburger and attend company meetings. [8] The crash killed Dobson and his business associate. Being proud of everything we do. The children grew up working in the restaurants and are still a part of what makes Whataburger great today. She was very excited about that." By the company's seventh decade, Whataburger had grown from a single burger stand in Corpus Christi to an 800-restaurant chain that spanned every state from Arizona to Florida. However, if one thinks about it, if it were not for this incident, Dobson would not have gone down the road that he did to finance Whataburger. During the early 1990s, profits declined as new items such as popcorn shrimp, salads, and steak sandwiches were added to the menu. Whataburger - Wikipedia It was very smart of Dobson to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers so that his business to boom even more. The burgers were always cooked exactly how the customer wanted them to be. Today, our founder's original vision still inspires everything we do. Along the way they talked about old times and old friends. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. . Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? The burgers sold back then are the same as the original Whataburger that many Texans still love to today. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Corpus Christi is going to miss Grace Dobson. Whataburgers Facebook page reached 1 million fans in 2013, just over a year after its launch. So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers. Treating our customers right. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Dobson faced financial challenges. Four of six Bar-Kays members died: Ronnie Caldwell, Phalon Jones, Jimmy King and Carl Cunningham. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. In addition to that, Dobson sold chips and a cold drink with the burger. The very first WhataGames, the company's biennial burger Olympic competition for Team Members, was held. Lady Grace and the Whataburger Legend - Texasliving He charged a pricy 25 cents since the burgers were better quality than the competitors burgers. Im beginning to like it & the dollars too.11, By the spring of 1967, Whataburger had expanded to more than forty stores in sixteen Texas cities and four states since it had first opened in 1950. In the early years, Graces oldest son, Tom, enjoyed helping Harmon make the root beer at Whataburger. By the late eighties the company had begun to lose its way. Harmon Dobson - Wikipedia [7], In his will, Dobson left the company to his wife, Grace Dobson, who at the time was encouraged to sell the company. To this day, giving is a huge part of the Whataburger dynasty. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. The Whataburger Jr. was added to the menu, as were jalapeos and onion rings. . By 1960, Whataburger stores had expanded and were operating across Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. He had $2500 to invest in the right deal involving oil, and eventually, he became partners with Henry Mode on an oil lease in Loving County, Texas.2 Yet, this investment did not lead to success. The Whataburger, however, was a whopping quarter pound of fresh grilled beef loaded with fresh vegetables and served on a 5-inch bun, and in 1950 there was nothing like it. The story begins in 1950, when Harmon Dobson, an Arkansas native, came to Texas with dreams of making it big in the oil business, but instead prospered in big burgers, opening the first Whataburger stand in Corpus Christi in August of that year. And as long as they can still get their Green Chile Double Whataburgers or Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits, they probably dont care. In June Dallas-based Brinker International, which owns Chilis and Maggianos Little Italy, unveiled a plan to buy franchises to boost earnings. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. Im glad to read that Tom Dobson, his son, was able to continue the legacy that was left by his father. Our History: The Whataburger Story Whataburgers affairs were more and more being turned over to the professionals, all of whom wanted to participate in what by now had ceased to be a family business and had become simply a large corporate entity, WOA claims in its lawsuit. Later, he went to Egypt and worked on the Suez Canal. DeLaughters Is the Little Grocery Store That Could, The Daughter of a Barbecue Family Takes Tradition in a New Direction, The Old Orange Cafe Is a Piece of Local History, Gen Zs Homemade Tortillas Could Use an Upgrade. Ford Heights plane crash: Small plane crashes near I-394 and Lincoln In our eighth decade, we entered new markets including Kansas City, Nashville, and Colorado Springs, expanding our restaurant footprint to 14 states. Tom Harmon is Missing | University of Michigan Heritage Project I thought it was only a Texas thing and never heard of them existing anywhere else. Other publicly traded restaurant companies have made similar moves recently. The price of burgers was raised to 30 cents, and to Burtons chagrin, customers did not mind. August 10, 1950- I came to Corpus Wed. Paul finally opened Tuesday [August 8] $50 first day, $79 yesterday & $62 today. By the end of 1936, he had a net worth of $35,000. Im beginning to like it & the dollars too.11, By the spring of 1967, Whataburger had expanded to more than forty stores in sixteen Texas cities and four states since it had first opened in 1950. Unfortunately, Coy was protective of Grace and had warned her about dating his unsettled, gallivanting brother. After he was killed in a plane crash in 1967, his wife, Grace, took . Also on the board were Sam W. Main who was vice president, Laneil Andert who was secretary, Ray F. Miller who was treasurer, and Roscoe Smith and Tom E. Dobson as board members.13 During this time, Grace usually avoided the spotlight, but she attended almost every company event. Add to your scrapbook. Unflinching, she steadfastly refused. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Contents 1 Early life 2 Whataburger 3 Death 4 References Early life I had no idea that the founder, Harmon Dobson, was not originally from here. 1 Colonization and Settlement (1500-1763), 2 Revolution and Early Republic (1754-1801), 4 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877), 5 Emergence of Modern America (1877-1929), 4 Late Middle Ages-Renaissance-Reformation Europe (1300-1648), 3 Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE), HS 1302 United States History since 1877, SP 3392 Language Variation and Dialectology of Spanish, Dom DiFurio and Oria McCaffrey, Whataburgers founding family sells controlling stake in iconic Texas chain,, College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. However, everything changed when Dobson was put in charge of the refinerys mess hall, and it was here that his education in large-scale food service began. Its hard to ignore a burger that makes you say What a Burger!. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. The Alice franchise was a quick success, and over the decades Whataburger and the Andrews familys company, Whataburger of Alice (WOA), grew in tandem. Loved this article! Dobson, an Arkansas native, married Harmon Dobson in 1955, five years after he opened the first Whataburger near Del Mar College. Te damos 5 razones para no perderte el Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strip Sandwich y la Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad. And never forgetting where we started. Looking for a more secure venture, Dobson met and partnered with Paul Burton. In 1956 and 1957, respectively, they had a daughter named Mary Lynne and a son named Hugh Carlton. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Tom healed the wounds that Peterson left on Whataburger by pulling together as a company, simplifying its message, shutting down less profitable locations, and putting emphasis back on its famous burgers.14. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. how privileged we are to have been in a partnership with you for this long.. [7] The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) summary classifies the accident type as a stall. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. A student organization of St. Marys University of San Antonio, Texas, featuring scholarly research, writing, and media from students of all disciplines. In part because of its regional statusof the nearly 800 current Whataburger locations, more than 600 are in Texasthe chain inspires a combination of pride and loyalty among many Texans. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. Whataburger saw a change of leadership for the first time since the 1990s as Tom Dobson, Harmon's son, took over as President and CEO. It was such a smart marketing move to drop flyers, coupons, and carry a Whataburger banner in the air. Everyone expected Grace, now twice widowed, to crumble, and they encouraged her to sell Whataburger. With time, they started to expand more outside Texas because Texans gave this restaurant a gold star. They really caught on early to the adage that pioneers get slaughtered and settlers get the land, he says. Learn more about merges. By The Canadian Press Sat., Sept. 26, 2020 The larger burgers that could be found back in the 1950s were served on 4-inch buns. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. UPLAND, Pa. (AP) _ A former New Jersey state trooper severely injured in the crash of United Airlines Flight 232 in Sioux City, Iowa, last month has died, a hospital spokeswoman said. Whataburger is more than a burger chain. As a devout Whataburger customer this article was fascinating. Dobson's journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. [4], Dobson and Burton business venture was short lived when their partnership ended 1951 because of a dispute over Dobson's price raise of the burger from 25 to 30 cents. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Were not making much profit but at least they are going fast for our product.7, August 12, 1950- Big Day 141.80 What a workhouse 551 hamburgers.8, Dobson realized the presentation of his burgers mattered. The men were killed instantly.12, About two years after Harmon Dobsons death, on July 10, 1969, Grace Dobson, the wife of Harmon Dobson, was officially elected chairwoman of the board with George W. Garrison named as the president. Pilot killed in crash near Thorsby remembered as 'skilled, beloved Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. Numbers went from 600 to 950 burgers per day.10, August 4, 1951- Proud to be the beginning of what may be a lifelong business. The Crash of United Flight 232 - Popular Mechanics Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. 0 cemeteries found in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas, USA. I never knew that Dobsons initial intent was to try and strike oil here in Texas. Once it was averted, Harmon began searching for a new path to success. Harmon Archibald Dobson (October 8, 1913 - April 11, 1967) [1] was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. His friend and associate, Andrew Sneed was also killed. One part of this strategy, the lawsuit contends, is to buy out franchisees with an eye toward taking the company public; gaining greater control over its franchise operations could provide greater value to future shareholders. Tom healed the wounds that Peterson left on Whataburger by pulling together as a company, simplifying its message, shutting down less profitable locations, and putting emphasis back on its famous burgers.14. By the end of 1950, Dobson had quit both the oil and auto industries and made Whataburger his sole venture. Each and every Whataburger is still made to orderwhen it's ordered. You have funeral questions, we have answers. You can always change this later in your Account settings. The main reason for the move was for oil. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Eventually, Jim Peterson became the new CEO, but he left a negative impact on the company. The Andrews family refused and in March filed its suit, asking a judge to order Whataburger to abide by the 1993 agreement. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? They have also hosted Wow fund-raising events where they combine fun community activities with charitable giving. However, news broke out in June 2019 that Whataburger sold a controlling interest in the company to Chicago- based investment banking firm BDT Capital. Born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, Harmon Dobson was raised in the rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. Thank God for his drunken partners actions which led him to leave the oil business, otherwise, we wouldnt get to experience the beloved food of Whataburger! Dobson was raised in a small rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. Thats when they look at me through squinted eyes and really say, Yeah, Right!! This event coincided with the mass unemployment and hysteria that lasted throughout the following decade. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. Harmon Dobson was born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, to Hugh and Ethel Dobson. Cant tell much yet.6, August 11, 1950- Nice day today $97. He took jobs at the county fair and as an apprentice iron worker. We still greet our customers with a smile 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The first Whataburger was served 66 years ago today in South Texas - mySA The plane, a Harmon Rocket, caught fire following the crash. Police found two dead people inside the. 10 Infamous US Plane Crashes | Smithsonian Channel - YouTube In February 1955, Coy passed away, and Dobson and Grace turned to each other for comfort. I like to write, listen to music, and read about fashion. Harmon Dobson | Military Wiki | Fandom