Although he missed college, Harmon was determined to make his way in the world. Neither Whataburger nor Whataburger of Alice would be what it is today without the other. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. 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. Today, Whataburger is a billion-dollar industry, all because of the efforts of Whataburgers saving Grace. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. Benefits. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? [7], In his will, Dobson left the company to his wife, Grace Dobson, who at the time was encouraged to sell the company. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. As a standard for mythical tall tales and legends, it comes as no surprise that Texas holds the national corner on stories of lost treasure. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Harmon was a stickler for cleanliness and very detailoriented, his sister LenaRae explained to biographer Greg Woolridge. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. [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. 200 RESTAURANTS AND GROWING. 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. Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. By The Canadian Press Sat., Sept. 26, 2020 Dobson faced financial challenges. 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. However, after only four months, Dobson grew restless and returned to the U.S. By August of that year, he returned home. Leave them blank to get signed up. 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. This event coincided with the mass unemployment and hysteria that lasted throughout the following decade. Dobson faced financial challenges. Angel crashed fifteen times before meeting his demise, but it only took Dobson four wrecks to wake up and realize the diamond business might prove fatal. Instead, during the next 38 years, the Whataburger matriarch, who died of complications from cancer Thursday in a local hospital at age 80, played an integral part in growing the hamburger chain into the eighth largest in the nation. Private burial will be in Seaside Memorial Park. 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. In 1953, Joe Andrews Sr. became the first franchise owner that was not one of the original founders, with a location in Alice, Texas. 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. Whataburger was a burgeoning business, but profits were minimal. 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. Whataburger Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup and Original Mustard became available at H-E-B stores and online at. 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. I had no idea that the founder, Harmon Dobson, was not originally from here. The History of and Story Behind Whataburger Logo - Money Inc Also, Whataburger expanded to places such as Las Vegas and Memphis, where the company was unknown, leading to a lack of customers purchasing food. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. 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. 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. Harmon Dobson, a "young entrepreneur" who made his start in life shipbuilding, oil drilling and diamond training, was the man behind the burgers. Ive always enjoyed eating the food there and its a top 3 fast food chain for me. Thats quite a success story to tell, though. Two people killed in plane crash near Thorsby: RCMP By 1949, Dobson was done with diamonds and began searching for a safe place to land. The brand really is tied to both of these families, Hartmann says. I have heard that Whataburger is from Texas but I was never completely sure. He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. I have so much fun talking to the young employees about the early Whataburger. Today, in 2019, it has been 69 years since the first Whataburger opened up. The burger chain has large hamburgers, skinny long fries, creamy milkshakes, and more. 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. Four of six Bar-Kays members died: Ronnie Caldwell, Phalon Jones, Jimmy King and Carl Cunningham. Otherwise, it wouldnt approve any new sites for WOA. Most people thought Grace Dobson would sell her rapidly growing hamburger business after her husband died in a private plane crash in 1967. . So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers. The menu grew as well, with French fries and hot pies being added in 1962. 1967 Press Photo Plane Crash Kill Harmon Dobson & Luther Sneed This was a very interesting story as I am always buying Whataburger and hear that is was once a family restaurant but never really took the time to read and learn about the story. Harmon Archibald Dobson [1] was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. September 23, 1952- I never expected anything like this. After handling freight to pay for his travel, nineteen-year-old Abel Head Pierce, a native of Little Compton, Rhode Island, landed at the Texas port of Indianola five months after leaving home. In the summer of 1854, a destitute stowaway on a Texas-bound schooner was discovered and forced to work for his passage. Unique 30-foot-tall A-frame design spiked interest in Whataburger 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 Dobson was born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, to Hugh and Ethel Dobson. Fowler died after the Harmon Rocket plane he was piloting went down in a field northwest of Thorsby, Alta., on Saturday afternoon. In June Dallas-based Brinker International, which owns Chilis and Maggianos Little Italy, unveiled a plan to buy franchises to boost earnings. harmon dobson plane crash. In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson and they became Whataburger's First Couple. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Whataburger is so common to me, as a Texan, that I forget not every state has one. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? I was also unaware of its background nor founder Harmon Dobson. However, the oil business would prove to be about as profitable for Dobson as the diamond business. During the early 1990s, profits declined as new items such as popcorn shrimp, salads, and steak sandwiches were added to the menu. Dobson, an Arkansas native, married Harmon Dobson in 1955, five years after he opened the first Whataburger near Del Mar College. (Dobson remains as chairman.) This venture led him to his destiny in the Lone Star State. Tom Harmon is Missing | University of Michigan Heritage Project Eventually, Jim Peterson became the new CEO, but he left a negative impact on the company. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. If they cant settle their differences, its not clear where theyll be tomorrow. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Drag images here or select from your computer for Harmon Archibald Dobson memorial. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. BDT is a merchant bank that invests in family-owned companies. In June 1950, Dobson was granted the Whataburger name trademark. Today, Whataburger is a big part of Texas culture, and families all over the Lone Star State can say thank you to Harmon Dobson for helping them to celebrate some of the best moments of their lives. Harmon's is not the only plane crash to go against the drop in accidents that the War Department are reporting. It was very smart of Dobson to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers so that his business to boom even more. There was a festive atmosphere in first class that. Mary Lynne and Hugh are both members of the board of directors. Dobson was raised in a small rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. Two die after small plane crashes in field southwest of Edmonton In 1969, Grace became chairman of the board. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. In a short time, Dobson had an impressive business. By 1960, Whataburger had 17 restaurants. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. He took jobs at the county fair and as an apprentice iron worker. Its competition is McDonalds and Wendys, not a boutique operation with three locations that offers grass-fed-bison burgers topped with arugula on a gluten-free bun. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. 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. Other franchisees settled their disputes in a separate agreement as part of Whataburgers efforts to repair its strained relations with them. Unfortunately, Coy was protective of Grace and had warned her about dating his unsettled, gallivanting brother. In August, they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across the street from Del Mar College. 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. 9 Intense Plane Crashes Caused By Stalls Smithsonian Channel Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation 3.2M views 2 years ago 8 Bad Weather Plane Crashes Smithsonian Channel Smithsonian.