Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. In our eighth decade, we entered new markets including Kansas City, Nashville, and Colorado Springs, expanding our restaurant footprint to 14 states. Loved this article! These days, Whataburger doesnt seem so grateful. This, I believe, will turn out to be a very profitable investment, which is something up until May 1, I was very unaccustomed.3, Dobson aimed to make a better burger a burger so good that it would require two hands to hold it. Es Cuaresma y Whataburger lo sabe: El Whatacatch, est de regreso! Dobson was raised in a small rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. In the past, corporate simply approved such requests, as stipulated under the 1993 settlement. Non-family executives, without direct ownership interest in a privately held company, sometimes try to profit from a companys success by heading up a public offering. I am an English & Communication Arts major at St. Marys University. Whataburgers Facebook page reached 1 million fans in 2013, just over a year after its launch. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. Wow! And by the end of 1989, Whataburger was serving hot and fresh food at 440 different locations. He took jobs at the county fair and as an apprentice iron worker. 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. He nearly lost a lot of money due to his drunk oil partners actions. The Andrews family refused and in March filed its suit, asking a judge to order Whataburger to abide by the 1993 agreement. 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. 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. cemeteries found in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. New Year's Day, 1950, Harmon Dobson, a sometime bush pilot, diamond courier, and automobile dealer, wrote in his journal: . Harmon was a stickler for cleanliness and very detailoriented, his sister LenaRae explained to biographer Greg Woolridge. In addition to that, Dobson sold chips and a cold drink with the burger. Police received a call at 1:41 p.m that a Harmon Rocket plane crashed into a field near Township Road 504 and Range Road 21, and then caught fire. As one of the largest franchisees, WOA was hit particularly hard by this arrangement. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . "I considered myself lucky to be a friend of Grace. One year, 24 weddings were held at a Dallas Whataburger. In Reeses telling, the states most famous burger joint has become just another greedy corporate entity. based on information from your browser. [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. What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? Contents 1 Early life 2 Whataburger 3 Death 4 References Early life On April 10, 1967, Dobson needed to fly to Beaumont, Texas for business and wanted someone to come along with him. This is a terrible time to risk messing with the Whataburger brand. The brand really is tied to both of these families, Hartmann says. You have funeral questions, we have answers. It is crazy that he died in a plane crash. Earlier this year, Andrewss company, now run by his daughter, Kathy Andrews Reese, sued the restaurant chain, claiming that Whataburger had reneged on a 22-year-old agreement between the two companies. 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 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. 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. Whataburger is so common to me, as a Texan, that I forget not every state has one. Written by: Rebecca Canfield | Photos Courtesy of: Whataburger. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. By Stefano Esposito and Sam Kelly. So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers. 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. Its a little like a public divorceneither side walks away looking good, says Michelle Hartmann, a Dallas attorney who specializes in private-company litigation. 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. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. And it is crazy to think how it was once only 35 cents and burger and not they are like 4-5 bucks for the same burger that they sold back then. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. 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. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. As a team, they expanded the Whataburger chain and had a family. Following that, the adventurous Dobson traveled to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to help build a refinery. Learn more about merges. So proud & so tired.17. Following that, he worked at the New York Shipbuilding Company, which, at the time, was the worlds largest boat-builder for the U.S. Navy. 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. On April 11, 1967, Dobson and an associate died in an airplane crash, and Dobson's widow, Grace, took control of the business. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. This venture led him to his destiny in the Lone Star State. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. 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. When everyone told Grace to just let go, the love of her husband and the desire to honor a promise propelled her forward into uncharted territory as she fought to keep the Whataburger legacy alive. Harmon never lived to see his shack become a regional burger empire; he died in a plane crash in 1967. GREAT NEWS! They have jalapeo eating contests, giveaways, and appearances from the company mascot, Whataguy. Its not surprising that people might want a bigger piece of that pie.. The Transportation Safety Board says a plane that crashed last year southwest of Edmonton killing the two people on board, had collided with a power line.. Insiders still refer to this time in the companys history as the dead zone. Profits fell as the company overreached by opening stores in saturated markets like Las Vegas and adding menu items, like popcorn shrimp salad, that customers didnt want. By the end of the decade, Harmon would open Whataburger #21 in Pensacola, Florida. They really caught on early to the adage that pioneers get slaughtered and settlers get the land, he says. After the Second World War ended, Harmon settled on buying used cars, which became profitable. By the late eighties the company had begun to lose its way. I always found it kind of weird that Whataburger has mostly been a Texas obsession and it amazes me that when they expanded to Memphis and Las Vegas, business declined. 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. ). His friend and associate, Andrew Sneed was also killed. I have heard that Whataburger is from Texas but I was never completely sure. More than seven decades ago, an adventurous and determined entrepreneur named Harmon Dobson had a bold idea: to serve a burger so big that it took two hands to hold, and so good that after a single bite customers couldn't help but exclaim, What a burger! He named his humble burger stand, located on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, Whataburger.. Harmons parents, Hugh and Ethel, raised cattle and fed the family fresh beef, milk, and home-grown vegetables. Verify and try again. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. 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. A brief period of military camels in Texas became lost to even most history books. Whataburgers Facebook page reached 1 million fans in 2013, just over a year after its launch. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. I share with Whataburger employees how my brothers and I would have 35 cent Whataburgers from the original Ayers street store before going to the picture show. 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. The burger chain has large hamburgers, skinny long fries, creamy milkshakes, and more. Andrews surrendered exclusivity to the San Antonio market and agreed to sell the existing San Antonio stores back to Whataburger. 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 over in the early seventies. 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. 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. Whataburger moved its Home Office to San Antonio from Corpus Christi in 2009. 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. Great job on your article Courtney! 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. (Dobson remains as chairman.) Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. The pragmatic Lady Grace rolled up her sleeves and got to work, teaching her children the family business along the way. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. I have so much fun talking to the young employees about the early Whataburger. 200 RESTAURANTS AND GROWING. The very first WhataGames, the company's biennial burger Olympic competition for Team Members, was held. There was a festive atmosphere in first class that. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. The burgers sold back then are the same as the original Whataburger that many Texans still love to today. Its hard to ignore a burger that makes you say What a Burger!. Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. Joe Andrews Sr. died in 1999, and his son, Joe Jr., took overand then died suddenly three years later while attending a Whataburger conference in New Orleans. Most people thought Grace Dobson would sell her rapidly growing hamburger business after her husband died in a private plane crash in 1967. He started his first establishment in 1950 as a large "wooden box" stand. Unflinching, she steadfastly refused. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. 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. By 1965, it was estimated that Whataburger was selling 15,000 hamburgers a day. He nearly lost a lot of money due to his drunk oil partners actions. Geographical origins There is even a Whataburger race car and a Whataburger field in Corpus Christi that hosts a minor league baseball team. 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. Ive always enjoyed eating the food there and its a top 3 fast food chain for me. In November 1942, a B-17 bomber with a 12-man crew crashed into a Greenland ice cap. 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. The airplane operated on a flight from Stephenville-Ernest Harmon AFB, NL (YJT) to Terceira-Lajes AFB, Azores (TER). Dobson revealed that in Fast Food magazine in 1957 that flying over a Whataburger in Bryan, Texas led to more customers buying burgers. 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. Everyone expected Grace, now twice widowed, to crumble, and they encouraged her to sell Whataburger. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. 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. [6] According to witnesses, Dobson was apparently taking off in a steep climb when both engines on the plane failed at around 75 to 100 feet (23 to 30m) in the sky and then plummeted back into the ground. That someone was Harmon Dobson, and that chain is Whataburger, which he started in a Corpus Christi shack in 1950, and which today numbers some 700 restaurants, the majority of them still in Texas. Dobson, an Arkansas native, married Harmon Dobson in . Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. (Dobson family members also may be ready to cash out.) 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. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. The. Private burial will be in Seaside Memorial Park. This, I believe, will turn out to be a very profitable investment, which is something up until May 1, I was very unaccustomed.3, Dobson aimed to make a better burger a burger so good that it would require two hands to hold it. Dobson and Burton's goal was to make a burger that took two hands to hold and that tasted good. Harlon Gerry Dobson, of Pittsgrove Township, N.J., died Saturday at Crozier Chester Medical Center in this Philadelphia suburb, where he . 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. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Harmon Dobson (16533251)? Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? BDT is a merchant bank that invests in family-owned companies. In 1934, Dobson started work as an apprentice ironworker, he later became a shipbuilder at the start of World War II. Mary Lynne and Hugh are both members of the board of directors. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. 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. 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. 1967. Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3151 Reid Drive. 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. 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. Treating our customers right. Failed to remove flower. Today, Whataburger is a billion-dollar industry, all because of the efforts of Whataburgers saving Grace. This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. [4] In 1993, her son Tom Dobson became the CEO and president of Whataburger. 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. 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.