Yet despite its success, Whataburgers history has included some setbacks. Dobson filled that need by buying used autos from urban areas like Detroit, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., and selling them back in Batesville for huge profits. Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. Charities like cancer research, childrens education, child abuse prevention, and hunger are still dear to the companys heart. Its a brand built on pride, care, and love. This was a very interesting story to tell! 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. Harmon was a stickler for cleanliness and very detailoriented, his sister LenaRae explained to biographer Greg Woolridge. Normally, they look at me skeptically as if to say,Yeah, Right!! (Dobson remains as chairman.) This venture led him to his destiny in the Lone Star State. Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks celebrated a ground-breaking ceremony with Grace throwing out the first pitch. ), 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. [7], In his will, Dobson left the company to his wife, Grace Dobson, who at the time was encouraged to sell the company. Dobson lived in the same modest house at Santa Fe Street and Meldo Park Drive for years, maintaining a close relationship with her children, grandchildren and friends, Sheka said. And never forgetting where we started. 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. Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . And a new building design, which retained the spirit of the original A-frame, was unveiled. Weve updated the security on the site. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. The golden age of drive-ins and American automobiles was just getting started back on August 8, 1950, when Harmon Dobson opened Whataburger #1. I hope to become a successful journalist in the future. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. I think anyone who hasnt tried Whataburger definitely should because it is one of the best fast food places. The plane, a Harmon Rocket, caught fire following the crash. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Treating our customers right. 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. [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. Auteur/autrice de la publication : Post published: 16 juin 2022; Post category: . The burgers sold back then are the same as the original Whataburger that many Texans still love to today. During Hurricane Harvey, Whataburger rallied around the Corpus Christi community and quickly began rebuilding and fundraising efforts. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? The Andrews family refused and in March filed its suit, asking a judge to order Whataburger to abide by the 1993 agreement. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. [1] In 1971, the company opened its first drive-through store, and in 1972, it opened its 100th store. Harmon Dobson was born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, to Hugh and Ethel Dobson. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16533251/harmon-archibald-dobson. It was an instant success, and Harmon began to expand the business to other markets. 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. As a devout Whataburger customer this article was fascinating. It isnt a small business anymore, and to keep ahead of the competition, it may have to start acting its size. Tom officially took over Whataburger in 1993 and is still company chairman today. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. 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. They are memories Sheka said he will treasure. 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. However, Dobson found success to be lonely. At 4:28 p.m, the plane took off, but, unfortunately, something went wrong. He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. On April 10, 1967, Dobson needed to fly to Beaumont, Texas for business and wanted someone to come along with him. 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. Four of six Bar-Kays members died: Ronnie Caldwell, Phalon Jones, Jimmy King and Carl Cunningham. He charged a pricy 25 cents since the burgers were better quality than the competitors burgers. This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. BDT Capital Partners acquired a majority interest in Whataburger and Ed Nelson was promoted to President in 2019. Great article! It is crazy that he died in a plane crash. Grace Dobson, also known as Lady Grace, is the famous face behind the Whataburger empire. Harmon Dobson was the founder of WHATABURGER Inc. BDT is a merchant bank that invests in family-owned companies. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 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. However, news broke out in June 2019 that Whataburger sold a controlling interest in the company to Chicago- based investment banking firm BDT Capital. So proud & so tired.17. 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. The burgers were always cooked exactly how the customer wanted them to be. Shortly after arriving on campus, Harmon was called home to help with a family crisis. 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. 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. Mary Lynne and Hugh are both members of the board of directors. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Contents 1 Early life 2 Whataburger 3 Death 4 References Early life Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. 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. AKA Thomas E. Dobson. They werent in a hurry to expand, and they rarely if ever expanded outside their comfort zone and their target market.. 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. By the mid-60s, there were over 40 stores in fifteen Texas cities and four states. Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. In 2020, Whataburgers 70th anniversary year, curbside pickup and delivery options launched, the companys first food truck was unveiled, and our first new large-unit prototype opened. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. No major injuries were reported when a Boston-bound plane carrying more than 20 people struck a fence and erupted in flames while taking off at Houston Executive Airport on Tuesday morning,. 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. Please try again later. Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. He charged a pricy 25 cents since the burgers were better quality than the competitors burgers. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. BDT Capital Partners acquired a majority interest in Whataburger and Ed Nelson was promoted to President in 2019. Harmons parents, Hugh and Ethel, raised cattle and fed the family fresh beef, milk, and home-grown vegetables. On April 11, 1967, at around 4:30 p.m., Dobson and his business associate Luther John Sneed took off in Dobson's Cessna Skymaster from an airport in LaPorte heading for Victoria, Texas. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Andrews surrendered exclusivity to the San Antonio market and agreed to sell the existing San Antonio stores back to Whataburger. 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. The Alice franchise was a quick success, and over the decades Whataburger and the Andrews familys company, Whataburger of Alice (WOA), grew in tandem.