Piloting a B-25 bomber, Harmon was flying with five other men through a thunderstorm when the plane's right wing tore away. 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. Dobson and Burton scouted out several locations for their big burger venture before settling on Corpus Christi. Tagged With: Historical Figures, Legacies. When I think of Whataburger, I immediately think of Texas and burgers. Failed to remove flower. Benefits. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. New specialty items included the Whataburger Patty Melt and the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. On April 10, 1967, Dobson needed to fly to Beaumont, Texas for business and wanted someone to come along with him. Try again later. A host of new menu items was unveiled, including the Whatameal, the A.1. Thick & Hearty Burger, cookies, biscuits, chicken strips and more. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Whataburger is more than a burger chain. Whataburgers Facebook page reached 1 million fans in 2013, just over a year after its launch. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? In 1934, Dobson started work as an apprentice ironworker, he later became a shipbuilder at the start of World War II. In our eighth decade, we entered new markets including Kansas City, Nashville, and Colorado Springs, expanding our restaurant footprint to 14 states. So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers. The case went to trial in 1993, but the two sides settled before the jury reached a verdict. 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. 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. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. The golden age of drive-ins and American automobiles was just getting started back on August 8, 1950, when Harmon Dobson opened Whataburger #1. 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. In 1969, Grace became chairman of the board. The new CEO and president of Whataburger was Tom Dobson, the son of Harmon and Grace Dobson. Grace Williamson and her 5-year-old son, Tom, rented a home owned by Dobsons brother Coy. Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. Dobson, who was an avid pilot, was inspired by his time in sky, designed the orange and white striped A-frame store in Odessa, Texas, in 1961. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. Dobson wanted to increase the price of a burgerfrom 25 to 30 cents. 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. A Douglas C-124C Globemaster II plane, serial 52-1062, was damaged beyond repair in an accident 10 km from Stephenville-Harmon AFB, NL (YJT), Canada. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. The. Eventually, more people came to eat the fresh, large burgers. The University of Houstons Barth says such changes arent unusual in a company that has grown to Whataburgers size. This was interesting article especially since it was about a burger that is highly famous here in Texas. 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. Lawrence Jagmin, of Frankfort, crashed Tuesday evening near Illinois 394 and Lincoln Highway in Ford Heights. I like to write, listen to music, and read about fashion. Dobson's journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. 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. Wikipedia. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. Known for: Co-founding Whataburger with . Be the first to post a memory or condolences. I thought it was only a Texas thing and never heard of them existing anywhere else. I had no idea that the founder of Whataburger started in the oil business! Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? His friend and associate, Andrew Sneed was also killed. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Treating our customers right. There were nine crew members on board. By the end of 1936, he had a net worth of $35,000. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. 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. 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. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. 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. 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. 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. Failed to delete memorial. On August 8, 1950, the first Whataburger opened at 2609 Ayers Street. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. [2], Dobson moved to Texas, where he co-founded the first Whataburger with Paul Burton, who was looking to open a hamburger restaurant. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. 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. 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. 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. Burton wanted to cut back on the product, convinced that customers would not pay that much. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Before the Whataburger, the typical burger was a White Castle slider, a two-ounce beef patty on a 2-inch bun. On July 19, 1989, one of the most dramatic events in aviation unfolded in the skies over Iowa as heroic pilots battled to land a crippled DC-10. January 1, 1950- I think this will be an eventful year for me.1. The burgers were always cooked exactly how the customer wanted them to be. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. Dobson wrote about his success during the first couple of days Whataburger opened in his journal. Perhaps the Depression stuck with young Harmon because food was important to him long after tough economic times had ended. based on information from your browser. You can always change this later in your Account settings. I had no idea that the founder, Harmon Dobson, was not originally from here. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Born in 1913 in Wayne, Oklahoma, Harmon Dobson was raised in the rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. My name is Courtney Pena and I am from McAllen, Texas. 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. There was an error deleting this problem. I didnt know the history of Whataburger was so interesting. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. The brand really is tied to both of these families, Hartmann says. It was also surprising to me that Whataburgers exists in other states. 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. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. harmon dobson plane crash. Harlon Gerry Dobson, of Pittsgrove Township, N.J., died Saturday at Crozier Chester Medical Center in this Philadelphia suburb, where he . "I considered myself lucky to be a friend of Grace. Were honored today to just say . Try again later. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). 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 sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Neither Whataburger nor Whataburger of Alice would be what it is today without the other. If they cant settle their differences, its not clear where theyll be tomorrow. In addition to a legacy of giving, Lady Grace made sure to instill her children with hard work and Whataburger values. 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. Whataburger is bigger than all of those, and that may be the point. He nearly lost a lot of money due to his drunk oil partners actions. New Year's Day, 1950, Harmon Dobson, a sometime bush pilot, diamond courier, and automobile dealer, wrote in his journal: . He flew to Texas to scout out the oil and auto possibilities in places like Witchita Falls, Dallas, and Houston. Whataburger moved its Home Office to San Antonio from Corpus Christi in 2009. Were not making much profit but at least they are going fast for our product.7, August 12, 1950- Big Day 141.80 What a workhouse 551 hamburgers.8, Dobson realized the presentation of his burgers mattered. One year, 24 weddings were held at a Dallas Whataburger. in 2013. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. 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. As a devout Whataburger customer this article was fascinating. There was a festive atmosphere in first class that. However, after only four months, Dobson grew restless and returned to the U.S. By August of that year, he returned home. Im glad to read that Tom Dobson, his son, was able to continue the legacy that was left by his father. 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. By the end of 1950, Dobson had quit both the oil and auto industries and made Whataburger his sole venture. At 4:28 p.m, the plane took off, but, unfortunately, something went wrong. So proud & so tired.17. This event coincided with the mass unemployment and hysteria that lasted throughout the following decade. I think anyone who hasnt tried Whataburger definitely should because it is one of the best fast food places. So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers.