The plane was making unusual noises and was rumored to be having engine trouble. 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. He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. Is It Possible to Be Vegan Without Eating Vegetables? Known for: Co-founding Whataburger with . Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. 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. January 1, 1950- I think this will be an eventful year for me.1. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). [4], Dobson and Burton business venture was short lived when their partnership ended 1951 because of a dispute over Dobson's price raise of the burger from 25 to 30 cents. 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,. By 1951, Dobson was an official Texan. By 1990 Whataburger had 475 locations across the southern United States; WOA was running more than 30 of them, in Bexar, Bee, Jim Wells, and Webb counties. The 70s was a decade of Whataburger milestones. Dobson and Burton's goal was to make a burger that took two hands to hold and that tasted good. 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. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. They have jalapeo eating contests, giveaways, and appearances from the company mascot, Whataguy. So proud & so tired.17. Dobson agreed, and the Alice store opened a year later. Whats the beef between Texass most iconic burger chain and its most loyal franchisee? 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. Tragedy struck the Whataburger family in 1967 when a plane crash took the life of Harmon Dobson. Their family complete, the Dobsons embarked on the happy, golden age of Whataburger. On April 10, 1967, Dobson needed to fly to Beaumont, Texas for business and wanted someone to come along with him. Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . The price of burgers was raised to 30 cents, and to Burtons chagrin, customers did not mind. His friend and associate, Andrew Sneed was also killed. I love Whataburger and it is a Texas staple. The war was over, and his adventure had ended. 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. Thats quite a success story to tell, though. She was infuriated that people were telling her to sell off her husbands dream and just enjoy the money. Really great article. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. 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. 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. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. 1 of 6. Shortly after arriving on campus, Harmon was called home to help with a family crisis. In part because of its regional statusof the nearly 800 current Whataburger locations, more than 600 are in Texasthe chain inspires a combination of pride and loyalty among many Texans. In 2001, the 77th Texas Legislature officially recognized what Texans had known for more than 50 years: Whataburger is a designated a Texas Treasure.' There were nine crew members on board. Tagged With: Historical Figures, Legacies. Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. She was very excited about that." in 2013. Through the years, she also served in numerous philanthropic capacities including working for the USO, Coastal Bend Youth City, the Kidney Foundation and the Texas State Aquarium. The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. In the early years, Graces oldest son, Tom, enjoyed helping Harmon make the root beer at Whataburger. However, the oil business would prove to be about as profitable for Dobson as the diamond business. A system error has occurred. Dobson was raised in a small rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. 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. The '70s was a decade of Whataburger milestones. Unflinching, she steadfastly refused. Verify and try again. He realized that he needed some creative marketing strategies to obtain new customers. I think anyone who hasnt tried Whataburger definitely should because it is one of the best fast food places. Dobson even cut a deal with a local bakery to make special-sized buns; the Rainbo bakery had to search the country for a company that could make pans big enough to bake them. Perhaps the Depression stuck with young Harmon because food was important to him long after tough economic times had ended. 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. 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.. 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. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. 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. [7], In his will, Dobson left the company to his wife, Grace Dobson, who at the time was encouraged to sell the company. His parents had reason to worry. Police say the Harmon Rocket a two-seat sport plane caught fire after the crash, and both a man and a woman were found deceased inside the aircraft. 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. This is a terrible time to risk messing with the Whataburger brand. The case went to trial in 1993, but the two sides settled before the jury reached a verdict. Because of World War II, auto manufacturing plants had been repurposed to produce wartime products. By Stefano Esposito and Sam Kelly. Harmon Archibald Dobson [1] was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. [4] In 1962, the company introduced French fries and hot pies to its menu. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. 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. [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. 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. Weve updated the security on the site. 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. Police found two dead people inside the. This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. harmon dobson plane crash. It was an instant success, and Harmon began to expand the business to other markets. . If they cant settle their differences, its not clear where theyll be tomorrow. New Year's Day, 1950, Harmon Dobson, a sometime bush pilot, diamond courier, and automobile dealer, wrote in his journal: . In August, they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across the street from Del Mar College. Early life [ edit] 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. 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. Tom officially took over Whataburger in 1993 and is still company chairman today. This venture led him to his destiny in the Lone Star State. We still use 100% pure, never-frozen beef and serve it on a big, toasted five-inch bun. I have heard that Whataburger is from Texas but I was never completely sure. Today, our founder's original vision still inspires everything we do. 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. He charged a pricy 25 cents since the burgers were better quality than the competitors burgers. Oct 21, 2020, 9:31am PST. And a new building design, which retained the spirit of the original A-frame, was unveiled. I found this sad and interesting. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. Patricia Sharpe writes a regular restaurant column, Pats Pick, for Texas Monthly. This was a very interesting story to tell! And never forgetting where we started. "It was a friendship that grew and grew," Sheka said. Later, he went to Egypt and worked on the Suez Canal. 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. In addition to that, Dobson sold chips and a cold drink with the burger. I like to write, listen to music, and read about fashion. On August 8, 2000, Whataburger proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary with 575 restaurants in operation and millions of fans all over the country. Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Occupation: Business Nationality: United States Executive summary: CEO of Whataburger Father: Harmon A. Dobson (Whataburger founder, d. 1967, plane crash) Mother: Grace (d. 1-Sep-2005) Brother: Hugh Sister: Lynne Whataburger President (1993-2007) Whataburger CEO (1993-) George W. Bush for President 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. I'm going to miss her, too." In 2017 alone, Whataburger partnered with over 600 charities across its ten-state service area, donating over $5 million. Dobson, an Arkansas native, married Harmon Dobson in 1955, five years after he opened the first Whataburger near Del Mar College. For Adler, the name on the stadium and the ball-throwing honor were small tributes to a woman he thought the world of. 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. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. The other victims were identified by the Texas . Peterson resigned in 1993. But in April of that year, a plane accident cut short Harmon's life, leaving her with three . Whataburgers Facebook page reached 1 million fans in 2013, just over a year after its launch. Add to your scrapbook. As a devout Whataburger customer this article was fascinating. [1] In 1971, the company opened its first drive-through store, and in 1972, it opened its 100th store. It was very smart of Dobson to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers so that his business to boom even more. 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. This browser does not support getting your location. In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? The Andrews family has been very special to Whataburger through the years, said Whataburgers corporate chief, Preston Atkinson, during the ceremony. The burgers were always cooked exactly how the customer wanted them to be. Dobson revealed that in Fast Food magazine in 1957 that flying over a Whataburger in Bryan, Texas led to more customers buying burgers. Fowler died after the Harmon Rocket plane he was piloting went down in a field northwest of Thorsby, Alta., on Saturday afternoon. 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. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Despite all these changes, we're still sticking to what got us here. We have set your language to 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. Learn more about managing a memorial . At 4:28 p.m, the plane took off, but, unfortunately, something went wrong. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Dobson was a notorious bachelor, but he had always liked a beautiful young widow he met at the C.I.T. Credit Corporation in Batesville during his auto dealing years. Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. 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. Im glad to read that Tom Dobson, his son, was able to continue the legacy that was left by his father. In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson and they became Whataburger's First Couple. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. "She was a very shy woman, who didn't want the limelight," Adler said Friday. You can count real friends on one hand. Harmon Dobson, a "young entrepreneur" who made his start in life shipbuilding, oil drilling and diamond training, was the man behind the burgers. September 23, 1952- I never expected anything like this. What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? At first, Harmon was content to help his parents on the farm, but his wanderlust eventually returned, calling him elsewhere. In Reeses telling, the states most famous burger joint has become just another greedy corporate entity. A year later, the first of the familiar orange and white striped A-frames was built in Odessa, Texas. Despite the leadership turmoil, the two companies continued operating under the 1993 agreement for more than twenty years, and tensions seemed to have eased. 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. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. 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. I had no idea that the founder of Whataburger started in the oil business! An opportunity arose when Harmon discovered a niche in the auto industry. This was interesting article especially since it was about a burger that is highly famous here in Texas. Thats what made me mad, made me want to fight, Grace told biographers. Also, Whataburger expanded to places such as Las Vegas and Memphis, where the company was unknown, leading to a lack of customers purchasing food. 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. Try again later. Written by: Rebecca Canfield | Photos Courtesy of: Whataburger. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Contents 1 Early life 2 Whataburger 3 Death 4 References Early life Harmon Archibald Dobson was an American entrepreneur best known as one of the founders of the fast food chain Whataburger. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. Wow! Peterson resigned in 1993. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. His mother, Louise, and his sister, Kathy Reese, ran the business until Louise died, in 2005, leaving Reese in charge. The exterior of the original Burger Boy restaurant at 2323 N. St. Mary's. Chuck Blount / Staff Show More Show Less 2 of 6. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Its a brand built on pride, care, and love. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Read more: 2 dead after small plane crashes near Thorsby: Alberta . After all, kindness, compassion, and quality were principles Harmon and Grace worked to instill in their employees. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Their business completed the next day, on April 11, 1967, and the men were going back home. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Dobson, an Arkansas native, married Harmon Dobson in . 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. 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. There is a problem with your email/password. Unwilling to compromise, Dobson offered Burton the keys to his yellow Plymouth convertible and franchise rights to all of San Antonio in exchange for the business. The Andrews family refused and in March filed its suit, asking a judge to order Whataburger to abide by the 1993 agreement. In 1969, Grace became chairman of the board. It has expanded in the Southwest United States with about 800 locations in ten states. Its a place people count on in their communities. Make sure that the file is a photo. Please try again later. At age 16, Dobson was accepted into the University of Missouri to study journalism, but was forced to return to his family farm soon after attending due to a family crisis at home due to the Great Depression. Other publicly traded restaurant companies have made similar moves recently. Dobson's journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. In exchange, his company got renewed assurances of its exclusive rights to develop stores in Bee, Jim Wells, and Webb counties and locked in a royalty rate lower than that assigned to other franchisees. 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. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. 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. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. 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. 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. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. January 1, 1950- I think this will be an eventful year for me.1. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button.