harmon dobson plane crash

"But through all of their giving and the charitable things that they did for the community and the state of Texas it glowed down on her anyway. Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. Because of World War II, auto manufacturing plants had been repurposed to produce wartime products. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. She threw out the ball at the field right before she got really sick. 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. To offer your sympathy during this difficult time, you can now have memorial trees planted in a National Forest in memory of your loved one. Theres no question that Whataburger, if managed properly in the public market, could deliver a significant return, he says. Each and every Whataburger is still made to orderwhen it's ordered. Geographical origins Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. Make sure that the file is a photo. To this day, giving is a huge part of the Whataburger dynasty. During Hurricane Harvey, Whataburger rallied around the Corpus Christi community and quickly began rebuilding and fundraising efforts. Really great article. Oops, something didn't work. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. It is a place that feels like home to more than 50,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. Whataburger founder Harmon Dobson stands in front of his first . Angel was a bit more adventurous than Dobson, though both crashed several times in Africa while mining for diamonds. I am an English & Communication Arts major at St. Marys University. I didnt know the history of Whataburger was so interesting. Serving it hot and fresh, 24/7. On April 11, 1967, Dobson and an associate died in an airplane crash, and Dobson's widow, Grace, took control of the business. Whataburger Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup and Original Mustard became available at H-E-B stores and online at. 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.. Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . An opportunity arose when Harmon discovered a niche in the auto industry. But perhaps because his dear friend Harmon Dobson was gone, his personal connection no longer seemed to mean as much as it once did. 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. So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers. He died when his private plane, a Cessna Skymaster, crashed shortly after takeoff. Other franchisees settled their disputes in a separate agreement as part of Whataburgers efforts to repair its strained relations with them. Try again later. It has expanded in the Southwest United States with about 800 locations in ten states. "I considered myself lucky to be a friend of Grace. After hearing from a friend in Houston that Texas was teeming with both cars and oil, Dobson, whose business ventures now had him traveling halfway across the U.S., purchased a private plane and learned to fly it. It has expanded in the Southwest United States with about 800 locations in ten states. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. She did not like to drive, so for years he picked her up and drove her to monthly USO meetings. This is a great article and very informative! Born: October 8, 1913, Wayne, OK. Died: 1967, La Porte, TX. And a new building design, which retained the spirit of the original A-frame, was unveiled. 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. Private burial will be in Seaside Memorial Park. The burger chain has large hamburgers, skinny long fries, creamy milkshakes, and more. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. Ive always associated Whataburger with Texas and learning more about an integral part of Texan culture was enjoyable. So proud & so tired.17. On April 10, 1967, Dobson needed to fly to Beaumont, Texas for business and wanted someone to come along with him. In a short time, Dobson had an impressive business. These days, Whataburger doesnt seem so grateful. The main reason for the move was for oil. As one of the largest franchisees, WOA was hit particularly hard by this arrangement. Whataburger Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup and Original Mustard became available at H-E-B stores and online at Whatastore in 2013. Many Texans still love and appreciate the food at this Texas treasure. Add to your scrapbook. Although he missed college, Harmon was determined to make his way in the world. January 1, 1950- I think this will be an eventful year for me.1. 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. Charities like cancer research, childrens education, child abuse prevention, and hunger are still dear to the companys heart. September 23, 1952- I never expected anything like this. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. ), 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. She also gave copious amounts of her time and money back to Corpus Christi and the state. The brand really is tied to both of these families, Hartmann says. He wanted this burgers to be so delicious that it would make a person yell, What a burger! This inspired the naming of his company. 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. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. Dobson revealed that in Fast Food magazine in 1957 that flying over a Whataburger in Bryan, Texas led to more customers buying burgers. In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Be the first to post a memory or condolences. We also elevated General Managers in our more than 850 restaurants to Operating partners, serving as the face of Whataburger in their communities, connecting and creating relationships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits. At first, Harmon was content to help his parents on the farm, but his wanderlust eventually returned, calling him elsewhere. [1] In 1971, the company opened its first drive-through store, and in 1972, it opened its 100th store. Andrews developed a close relationship with Dobson; he even coined the companys popular slogan, We build a bigger, better burger., Today, those oversized burgers and the promise of fresh ingredients generate annual sales of $1.8 billion, making Whataburger the thirty-third-largest restaurant chain in the countryand the second-largest founded and based in Texas, after Chilis. Dobson faced financial challenges. 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. Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. The plane was making unusual noises and was rumored to be having engine trouble. He nearly lost a lot of money due to his drunk oil partners actions. Failed to delete memorial. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. Dobson and Burton scouted out several locations for their big burger venture before settling on Corpus Christi. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Try again. The main reason for the move was for oil. "It was a friendship that grew and grew," Sheka said. 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. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. At 4:28 p.m, the plane took off, but, unfortunately, something went wrong. Learning about Dobsons history was interesting as well, I didnt know that he had originally started out attempting to capitalize on the oil industry. After he was killed in a plane crash in 1967, his wife, Grace, took . Little did he know that he was going to be the founder of an epic fast food restaurant. Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you. The meat and vegetables were always fresh, never frozen. However, Dobson found success to be lonely. 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. Many Texans still love and appreciate the food at this Texas treasure. The burgers were always cooked exactly how the customer wanted them to be. 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. Beechcraft Model 18. Dobson was raised in a small rural farming community of Cushman, Arkansas. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). 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. Thank God for his drunken partners actions which led him to leave the oil business, otherwise, we wouldnt get to experience the beloved food of Whataburger! His parents had reason to worry. Together, they raised three children: Hugh, Lynne and Tom. In August, they opened their first location on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas, across the street from Del Mar College. Treating our customers right. 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.

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