Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . This was interesting article especially since it was about a burger that is highly famous here in Texas. Whataburger is so common to me, as a Texan, that I forget not every state has one. Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. As a team, they expanded the Whataburger chain and had a family. He purchased a frozen custard stand called Dairy King in Big Spring, Texas, and ran it for a few weeks to learn the business. Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. [3][2], In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson, a widow with a five-year-old son. And while we now serve hot, fresh food at more than 890 Whataburgers across the country, that burger stand in Corpus Christi is never far from our hearts. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. She threw out the ball at the field right before she got really sick. Franchisees and the parent company squabbled over products and promotions, and the once familial corporate culture deteriorated into an us-versus-them mentality. It was very smart of Dobson to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers so that his business to boom even more. The main reason for the move was for oil. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. 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. Along the way they talked about old times and old friends. This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. The struggles that Dobson endured building such an important food chain are inspiring. For Adler, the name on the stadium and the ball-throwing honor were small tributes to a woman he thought the world of. 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. The ceremony wasnt mere sentiment at work. Whataburger had commissioned the "Flying W" company logo and had expanded to 40 locations in four states. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. A student organization of St. Marys University of San Antonio, Texas, featuring scholarly research, writing, and media from students of all disciplines. GREAT NEWS! Franchisees also sued over a mandatory rebate plan, which WOA claims amounted to forcing vendors to pay illegal rebates, kickbacks, and bribes to Whataburger and its executives. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. While passing through the Southwest United States, particularly Texas, one will probably encounter big, tall, orange and white signs with a Texas-sized W. This is the sign of the famous Texas fast food restaurant Whataburger. The place did well, and soon Dobson added two more locations in Corpus and one in nearby Kingsville. Dobson then bounced around a lot after that work on the Suez Canal in Egypt, and then in Bahrain where he was in charge of a construction of a mess hall. Andrews surrendered exclusivity to the San Antonio market and agreed to sell the existing San Antonio stores back to Whataburger. Whataburger was becoming what Dobson always knew it could, and his family was happy and successful. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. The two-seat aircraft crashed into a field north of Thorsby around 1:40 p.m., RCMP said in a Saturday evening news release. So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers. The wreckage of a military plane found this month on an Alaska glacier is that of an Air Force plane that crashed in 1952, killing all 52 people aboard, military officials said Wednesday. Later, he went to Egypt and worked on the Suez Canal. Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. BDT is a merchant bank that invests in family-owned companies. With time, they started to expand more outside Texas because Texans gave this restaurant a gold star. Whataburger founder Harmon Dobson stands in front of his first . Mr. Harmon Dobson, the co-Founder of Whataburger Co., died on April 11, 1967, which left his wife and widow, Grace, to take control over the of the business. The price of burgers was raised to 30 cents, and to Burtons chagrin, customers did not mind. Whats the beef between Texass most iconic burger chain and its most loyal franchisee? The entire crew bailed out, with Harmon parachuting into a jungle. 200 RESTAURANTS AND GROWING. In 1942, Dobson went to North Africa to do work on pipefitting scrapyard work, and cable rigging for Bell Telephone Company. In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson and they became Whataburger's First Couple. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. Dobson revealed that in Fast Food magazine in 1957 that flying over a Whataburger in Bryan, Texas led to more customers buying burgers. [4] But perhaps because his dear friend Harmon Dobson was gone, his personal connection no longer seemed to mean as much as it once did. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Today, in 2019, it has been 69 years since the first Whataburger opened up. The Texas burger landscape is more competitive than ever, thanks to an influx of regional mini-chains such as Austins P. Terrys, the Metroplexs Twisted Root Burger Co., and Houstons Becks Prime and smaller national chains such as Smashburger, Five Guys, and Shake Shack. Dobson wrote about this difficulty in his journal: Late May, 1950- Landed back in Midland April 21 to find that Henry Mode, my oil partner, had begun drinking again. However, the oil business would prove to be about as profitable for Dobson as the diamond business. ! Then they ask, whats a picture show? I try to explain drive in movies to them. The new CEO and president of Whataburger was Tom Dobson, the son of Harmon and Grace Dobson. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. The plane, a Harmon Rocket, caught fire following the crash. [1] In 1971, the company opened its first drive-through store, and in 1972, it opened its 100th store. August 10, 1950- I came to Corpus Wed. Paul finally opened Tuesday [August 8] $50 first day, $79 yesterday & $62 today. The All-Time Favorites menu, featuring four of the most loved specialty sandwiches from over the years, made its debut and was greeted enthusiastically by Whataburger fans. Were honored today to just say . It was such a smart marketing move to drop flyers, coupons, and carry a Whataburger banner in the air. ! Learn more about merges. Theres no question that Whataburger, if managed properly in the public market, could deliver a significant return, he says. To this day, giving is a huge part of the Whataburger dynasty. Dobson agreed, and the Alice store opened a year later. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Contents 1 Early life 2 Whataburger 3 Death 4 References Early life They have jalapeo eating contests, giveaways, and appearances from the company mascot, Whataguy. Thanks for your help! The war was over, and his adventure had ended. Before the Whataburger, the typical burger was a White Castle slider, a two-ounce beef patty on a 2-inch bun. Whataburgers Facebook page reached 1 million fans in 2013, just over a year after its launch. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. In February 1955, Coy passed away, and Dobson and Grace turned to each other for comfort. After all, kindness, compassion, and quality were principles Harmon and Grace worked to instill in their employees. Its a place people count on in their communities. Also, Whataburger expanded to places such as Las Vegas and Memphis, where the company was unknown, leading to a lack of customers purchasing food. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. At the end of 1980, Whataburger opened its 300th restaurant. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. After he was killed in a plane crash in 1967, his wife, Grace, took . It is crazy that he died in a plane crash. Unfortunately, Coy was protective of Grace and had warned her about dating his unsettled, gallivanting brother. In 2001, the Whataburger Family Foundation officially began, though the charitable efforts had been ongoing since day one. January 1, 1950- I think this will be an eventful year for me.1. Man dies after crashing his plane near U.S. 40. However, after only four months, Dobson grew restless and returned to the U.S. By August of that year, he returned home. While her husband, Harmon Dobson, was the one who launched the first Whataburger, it was Lady Grace who clung tightly to her husbands legacy through terrible trials and tragedies. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. In June 1950, Dobson was granted the Whataburger name trademark. Great article! Try again later. For many years the Andrews family has been instrumental to Whataburgers success. He attributes that success to Whataburgers prudent approach to growth, training, and customer service. For the Andrews family, this shift in corporate culture first became apparent two years ago, when it told the company headquarters, which had moved from Corpus to San Antonio in 2009, that it wanted to open a new store in Laredo. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. One year, 24 weddings were held at a Dallas Whataburger. Tom officially took over Whataburger in 1993 and is still company chairman today. They were finally recovered earlier this month after five months of rescue attempts. Grace Dobson, also known as Lady Grace, is the famous face behind the Whataburger empire. It consists of a grilled quarter-pound beef patty, fresh lettuce, four dill pickles, three slices of tomatoes, chopped onions, mustard and ketchup. Because of World War II, auto manufacturing plants had been repurposed to produce wartime products. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. "It was a friendship that grew and grew," Sheka said. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. But thats a tough needle to thread for a company that has developed intense customer loyalty because of its down-home, noncorporate image. It was fascinating to see that the burger/fast food chain that Dobson created (along with other people) would end up becoming the most notable food item in Texas. We still greet our customers with a smile 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Along the way she made lifelong friends, including Bill Sheka Sr., 83, who knew her for 50 years. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. The first drive-thru was installed in 1971. Since post-war production had not yet returned, the U.S. had a great need for autos, particularly in rural areas. With his massive profits, he dabbled in oil speculation and mining diamonds in South America. Four of six Bar-Kays members died: Ronnie Caldwell, Phalon Jones, Jimmy King and Carl Cunningham. 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. 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. Many Texans still love and appreciate the food at this Texas treasure. Lawrence Jagmin, of Frankfort, crashed Tuesday evening near Illinois 394 and Lincoln Highway in Ford Heights. Other franchisees settled their disputes in a separate agreement as part of Whataburgers efforts to repair its strained relations with them. There is a problem with your email/password. Each and every Whataburger is still made to orderwhen it's ordered. However, before he found his landing place, he took a detour to Africa where he partnered with friend JimmyAngel, who insisted that there was a lucrative diamond business there. I think anyone who hasnt tried Whataburger definitely should because it is one of the best fast food places. The pragmatic Lady Grace rolled up her sleeves and got to work, teaching her children the family business along the way. After hearing from a friend in Houston that Texas was teeming with both cars and oil, Dobson, whose business ventures now had him traveling halfway across the U.S., purchased a private plane and learned to fly it. Born:? Geographical origins Harmon Archibald Dobson [1] was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. Resend Activation Email. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. Some people are legendary because of what they have done, but others and perhaps the most important ones, are legendary because of who they are. Fifty years after standing in line at the first Whataburger where he made friends with Grace Dobson, local businessmen Robert Adler was on hand earlier this year when his friend "Lady Grace" threw out the first pitch at the opening of Whataburger Field. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). By March 5, the couple was married. It is a place that feels like home to more than 50,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. A year later, the first of the familiar orange and white striped A-frames was built in Odessa, Texas. Wikipedia. I found it very interesting that they are still selling the same tasty burgers they sold in 1950 at their first restaurant in Corpus Christi. [5][9], "Deep in the Heart: Whataburger's Long History of Success and Brand Identity", "Whatalife: Harmon Dobson, the Founder of Whataburger", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harmon_Dobson&oldid=1103833486, This page was last edited on 11 August 2022, at 05:01. They really caught on early to the adage that pioneers get slaughtered and settlers get the land, he says. Great job on your article Courtney! Growing up during the onset of the Great Depression, the Dobson family had few resources, but plenty of food at a time when food meant everything. Whataburger proposed breaking the stalemate by approving the Laredo location only if Reese agreed to relinquish its lower royalty rate and give Whataburger veto power over all site selections, the lawsuit claims. Please reset your password. From the very start, Lady Grace saw to it that Whataburger gave back to the community. The plane was making unusual noises and was rumored to be having engine trouble. I love Whataburger and it is a Texas staple. Although he missed college, Harmon was determined to make his way in the world. He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. 0 cemeteries found in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas, USA. Harmon Dobson was the founder of WHATABURGER Inc. 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. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Shortly after arriving on campus, Harmon was called home to help with a family crisis. By the mid-60s, there were over 40 stores in fifteen Texas cities and four states. On April 10, 1967, Dobson needed to fly to Beaumont, Texas for business and wanted someone to come along with him. Es Cuaresma y Whataburger lo sabe: El Whatacatch, est de regreso! Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Harmon Dobson (16533251)? In the midst of this turmoil, Andrews, who decades earlier had been given exclusive rights to Bexar, Bee, Jim Wells, and Webb counties, decided in 1990 to sell his San Antonio franchises to an outside buyer, in order to better focus on the South Texas market. According to the lawsuit, Reese met with Atkinson, who told her that despite the agreement, Whataburger didnt believe it was obligated to approve new sites and that it could veto any sites that the franchisee selected. [2] Dobson spent most of his early life working on his parents' cattle farm. 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 plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. Harmon Dobson died in a plane crash in 1967, and his widow, Grace (whose first date with Harmon was at Whataburger #3, in Corpus), ran things until the first outsider, Jim Peterson, took. Auteur/autrice de la publication : Post published: 16 juin 2022; Post category: . 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. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Year should not be greater than current year. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. 1967. Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. So proud & so tired.17. Whataburger was doing well after its grand opening. Drag images here or select from your computer for Harmon Archibald Dobson memorial. To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one. The new CEO and president of Whataburger was Tom Dobson, the son of Harmon and Grace Dobson. He charged a pricy 25 cents since the burgers were better quality than the competitors burgers. During this time he traveled to North Africa where he helped build a U.S. Navy base and worked on airplane hangars, radio towers, tanks, and whatever else the Navy needed. In Reeses telling, the states most famous burger joint has become just another greedy corporate entity. We have set your language to Try again later. ). This is a great article and very informative! Dobson was raised in a small rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. He died when his private plane, a Cessna Skymaster, crashed shortly after takeoff. The next year, we awarded more than $90 million in bonuses to our Family Members (what we call our employees) in thanks for their extraordinary service during the pandemic. [4] In 1962, the company introduced French fries and hot pies to its menu. "She was a very shy woman, who didn't want the limelight," Adler said Friday. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. 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 main reason for the move was for oil. [4] In 1993, her son Tom Dobson became the CEO and president of Whataburger. . Mary Lynne and Hugh are both members of the board of directors. 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. I enjoyed reading the little journal entries included in this article because it makes it more unique and gives it a more personal feeling to what Dobson had been feeling and thinking as he was starting up Whataburger. Leave them blank to get signed up. The exterior of the original Burger Boy restaurant at 2323 N. St. Mary's. Chuck Blount / Staff Show More Show Less 2 of 6. Treating our customers right. Whataburger dismisses WOAs allegations, saying the suit contains serious misstatements and baseless speculation. (Whataburger and WOA and their attorneys declined to be interviewed for this story. Whataburger is more than a burger chain. He was not afraid to tell people if they did not meet his standards.. And on May 6, 1999, Whataburger by the Bay opened in Corpus Christi as a tribute to Whataburger's upcoming 50th anniversary.

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