Decades-old military plane wreckage found in Alaska glacier, may give 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. We have set your language to Dobson wanted to increase the price of a burgerfrom 25 to 30 cents. Harmon Dobson was sixteen years old on Black Friday, but this first Black Friday was no shopping extravaganza: it marked the most devastating stock market crash in United States history. This browser does not support getting your location. 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. This is such a great topic! No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. ! Then they ask, whats a picture show? I try to explain drive in movies to them. When he opened the first stand, on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, he envisioned selling a burger big enough that it would take two hands to hold it. However, over the years, Whataburger has become a legend in its own right. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. Harmon Dobson was born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, to Hugh and Ethel Dobson. I didnt know the history of Whataburger was so interesting. For many years the Andrews family has been instrumental to Whataburgers success. The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. 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. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. In the past, corporate simply approved such requests, as stipulated under the 1993 settlement. Spicing Things Up: Whataburger Buffalo Ranch Chicken Lineup Returns for a Limited Time, Get Ready for More Bold Flavors: Whataburger is Growing in Memphis, Whataburger Celebrates One Year of Delicious Dining in Colorful Colorado, MyWhataburger These days, Whataburger doesnt seem so grateful. In 1956 and 1957, respectively, they had a daughter named Mary Lynne and a son named Hugh Carlton. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 1967 Press Photo Plane Crash Kill Harmon Dobson & Luther Sneed Restaurant Owners Condition: -- Price: US $10.00 Buy It Now Add to cart Add to Watchlist Returns accepted Ships from United States Shipping: US $4.99Standard Shipping | See details Located in: Memphis, Tennessee, United States Delivery: Whataburger, which saw San Antonio as a key growth market, filed suit to block the sale. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. The new CEO and president of Whataburger was Tom Dobson, the son of Harmon and Grace Dobson. After her husband died, Grace Dobson surrounded herself with a management team, became chairwoman of the board and grew the business to more than 600 company-owned and franchised stores - and raised three children as a single parent. So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers. Under Reeses leadership, WOA repeatedly won the chains annual best franchise award. ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-124C Globemaster II 52-1062 After experiencing numerous losses that caused him to lose over $5,000, Dobson returned to the U.S. Dobson began by doing dozens of quick auto deals before returning to Texas to scout for oil. 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. Great article! In 1942, Dobson went to North Africa to do work on pipefitting scrapyard work, and cable rigging for Bell Telephone Company. Dobson faced financial challenges. 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. Learn more about merges. Tom Harmon is Missing | University of Michigan Heritage Project Whataburger has been highly successful in a very competitive market, says Stephen Barth, a professor of law and leadership at the University of Houstons Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management. Its a brand built on pride, care, and love. Man dies after crashing his plane near U.S. 40. Later, he went to Egypt and worked on the Suez Canal. During Hurricane Harvey, Whataburger rallied around the Corpus Christi community and quickly began rebuilding and fundraising efforts. 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. Whatalife: Harmon Dobson, the Founder of Whataburger Learn more about managing a memorial . 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. To this day, giving is a huge part of the Whataburger dynasty. Eventually, Jim Peterson became the new CEO, but he left a negative impact on the company. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. 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. Other publicly traded restaurant companies have made similar moves recently. In June 1950, Dobson was granted the Whataburger name trademark. The company also passed the 500-store threshold, making it the nation's eighth-largest hamburger chain. "I considered myself lucky to be a friend of Grace. January 1, 1950- I think this will be an eventful year for me.1. 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. Despite all these changes, we're still sticking to what got us here. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Failed to report flower. The 70s was a decade of Whataburger milestones. In our eighth decade, we entered new markets including Kansas City, Nashville, and Colorado Springs, expanding our restaurant footprint to 14 states. In 2001, the 77th Texas Legislature officially recognized what Texans had known for more than 50 years: Whataburger is a designated a Texas Treasure.' Grace Dobson Obituary (2005) - Corpus Christi, TX - Corpus-Christi Whatabusiness! - Texas Monthly Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. He died when his private plane, a Cessna Skymaster, crashed shortly after takeoff. Looking for a more secure venture, Dobson met and partnered with Paul Burton. Harlon Gerry Dobson, of Pittsgrove Township, N.J., died Saturday at Crozier Chester Medical Center in this Philadelphia suburb, where he . Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. 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. The golden age of drive-ins and American automobiles was just getting started back on August 8, 1950, when Harmon Dobson opened Whataburger #1. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. 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. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. The menu grew as well, with French fries and hot pies being added in 1962. A Montana family is mourning the loss of their husband, father and grandfather this week after the 50-year-old man crashed in an airplane in Summit County while flying solo along a route he knew well. Eventually, more people came to eat the fresh, large burgers. Whataburger Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup and Original Mustard became available at H-E-B stores and online at. By 1960, Whataburger stores had expanded and were operating across Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. The pragmatic Lady Grace rolled up her sleeves and got to work, teaching her children the family business along the way. Harmon never lived to see his shack become a regional burger empire; he died in a plane crash in 1967. H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping, West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country. This tiny burger stand offered something people had never seen: a burger that was so big, they had to hold its five-inch bun with two hands. She was very excited about that." Most people thought Grace Dobson would sell her rapidly growing hamburger business after her husband died in a private plane crash in 1967. . You have funeral questions, we have answers. The plane, a Harmon Rocket, caught fire following the crash. Once it was averted, Harmon began searching for a new path to success. Thats when they look at me through squinted eyes and really say, Yeah, Right!! Our History: The Whataburger Story This time, however, it indicated that it wasnt inclined to do so. Whataburger was becoming what Dobson always knew it could, and his family was happy and successful. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. On April 10, 1967, Dobson needed to fly to Beaumont, Texas for business and wanted someone to come along with him. 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 Mary Lynne and Hugh are both members of the board of directors. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. 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. . I hope to become a successful journalist in the future. How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire, Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians, The Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints: 2021 Edition. The University of Houstons Barth says such changes arent unusual in a company that has grown to Whataburgers size. Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Charities like cancer research, childrens education, child abuse prevention, and hunger are still dear to the companys heart. I had over 5000 dollars invested in a drilling deal in Loving County, Texas, and on May 18 almost lost the whole thing through his drinking by fouling up a deal only two days before the money would have been forfeited Am now interested in financing Paul Burton, a hamburger expert, in some small specialized hamburger joints somewhere in Texas. I was also unaware of its background nor founder Harmon Dobson. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. 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. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. The Andrews family refused and in March filed its suit, asking a judge to order Whataburger to abide by the 1993 agreement. So proud & so tired.17. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Harmon Archibald Dobson I found on Findagrave.com. In 2017 alone, Whataburger partnered with over 600 charities across its ten-state service area, donating over $5 million. [7], In his will, Dobson left the company to his wife, Grace Dobson, who at the time was encouraged to sell the company. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. 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. All three work hard to ensure that Whataburger never strays from their fathers original concept, which was to serve hungry people great food in a clean and friendly environment. Fowler died after the Harmon Rocket plane he was piloting went down in a field northwest of Thorsby, Alta., on Saturday afternoon. Today, in 2019, it has been 69 years since the first Whataburger opened up. 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. However, Dobson was already looking to move on to bigger ventures. Two people killed in plane crash near Thorsby: RCMP Auteur/autrice de la publication : Post published: 16 juin 2022; Post category: . But the rift between the Andrews family and the burger chain they helped build represents a struggle between the past and the present, and between two families who have known each other for a long time. In 1934, Dobson started work as an apprentice ironworker, he later became a shipbuilder at the start of World War II. 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. Harmon's is not the only plane crash to go against the drop in accidents that the War Department are reporting. Great article! Rocky Mountain House airport manager one of 2 dead in plane crash - CBC Try again later. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. August 10, 1950- I came to Corpus Wed. Paul finally opened Tuesday [August 8] $50 first day, $79 yesterday & $62 today. 1 of 6. They were finally recovered earlier this month after five months of rescue attempts. Whataburger Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup and Original Mustard became available at H-E-B stores and online at Whatastore in 2013. His friend and associate, Andrew Sneed was also killed. 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. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. 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. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. 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. It hurts the brand ultimately.. Harmon Dobson was the founder of WHATABURGER Inc. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. And as long as they can still get their Green Chile Double Whataburgers or Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits, they probably dont care. In August, they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across the street from Del Mar College. Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. 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 Dobsons son, Tom, became Whataburgers chief executive in 1993. Learning about Dobsons history was interesting as well, I didnt know that he had originally started out attempting to capitalize on the oil industry. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. He was able to please his customers with a five-inch burger by making special arrangements with the Rainbo Bread Company to develop five-inch buns, which were an inch larger than the standard bun. Two die after small plane crashes in field southwest of Edmonton Dobson later was hired to help build a naval base where he worked on building radio towers, tanks and hangars. I have so much fun talking to the young employees about the early Whataburger. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. Grace Williamson and her 5-year-old son, Tom, rented a home owned by Dobsons brother Coy. Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . Lady Grace and the Whataburger Legend - Texasliving After all, kindness, compassion, and quality were principles Harmon and Grace worked to instill in their employees. Dobson and Burton scouted out several locations for their big burger venture before settling on Corpus Christi. Harmons parents, Hugh and Ethel, raised cattle and fed the family fresh beef, milk, and home-grown vegetables. Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3151 Reid Drive. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. 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. In 2012, though, Tom Dobson relinquished his CEO duties to Atkinson, a former contractor who started building Whataburger restaurants in 1986 and then joined the company in 1998. The story of Dobson was well written here. After World War II ended in 1945, Dobson returned home to his home state of Arkansas, where he worked buying and selling used cars. Corpus Christi is going to miss Grace Dobson. Be the first to post a memory or condolences. The prosperity lasted until 1967 when Dobson and his friend Gene Crane were killed in a plane crash in La Porte, where they had stopped to refuel. It was very smart of Dobson to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers so that his business to boom even more. She threw out the ball at the field right before she got really sick. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. New menu additions soon followed, including the Breakfast On A Bun, Whatachick'nand the now-famous breakfast Taquitos. Sadly, in 2005, Whataburger Family Members mourned the loss of Lady Grace as she was called by many. I had no idea that the founder of Whataburger started in the oil business! ), When most Whataburger customers walk into the restaurant, they have no idea if the place they are eating at is a franchise or a corporate-owned branch. It is a place that feels like home to more than 50,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. Today, Whataburger is a billion-dollar industry, all because of the efforts of Whataburgers saving Grace. 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 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. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. I think anyone who hasnt tried Whataburger definitely should because it is one of the best fast food places. Piloting a B-25 bomber, Harmon was flying with five other men through a thunderstorm when the plane's right wing tore away. Following his success, Dobson began dabbling in oil and purchased a small well in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Its hard to ignore a burger that makes you say What a Burger!. 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. 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. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. [4] In 1962, the company introduced French fries and hot pies to its menu. Whataburger had commissioned the "Flying W" company logo and had expanded to 40 locations in four states. Other franchisees settled their disputes in a separate agreement as part of Whataburgers efforts to repair its strained relations with them. By The Canadian Press Sat., Sept. 26, 2020 Dobson's journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. [8] The crash killed Dobson and his business associate. We also elevated General Managers in our more than 850 restaurants to Operating partners, serving as the face of Whataburger in their communities, connecting and creating relationships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits. Having lived in Texas for the 18 years of my life, I found it really interesting to finally know the full history of Whataburger. Please enter your email and password to sign in.