[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. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Proving everyone wrong, Grace lived her entire life in the same house that her husband bought her. 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. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Also on the board were Sam W. Main who was vice president, Laneil Andert who was secretary, Ray F. Miller who was treasurer, and Roscoe Smith and Tom E. Dobson as board members.13 During this time, Grace usually avoided the spotlight, but she attended almost every company event. "It was a friendship that grew and grew," Sheka said. [2] Dobson spent most of his early life working on his parents' cattle farm. A year later, the first of the familiar orange and white striped A-frames was built in Odessa, Texas. 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. 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. Whataburgers Facebook page reached 1 million fans in 2013, just over a year after its launch. The larger burgers that could be found back in the 1950s were served on 4-inch buns. The Crash of United Flight 232 - Popular Mechanics Ive always associated Whataburger with Texas and learning more about an integral part of Texan culture was enjoyable. After all, kindness, compassion, and quality were principles Harmon and Grace worked to instill in their employees. There is a problem with your email/password. I hope to become a successful journalist in the future. In 1955, Harmon married Grace Williamson. 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. Thats when they look at me through squinted eyes and really say, Yeah, Right!! The entire crew bailed out, with Harmon parachuting into a jungle. In 1953 , Joe Andrews received the first Whataburger franchise, and business was booming. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. By the mid-60s, there were over 40 stores in fifteen Texas cities and four states. Family members linked to this person will appear here. I had no idea that the founder of Whataburger started in the oil business! Verify and try again. Tom Dobson - NNDB Months later, Harmon raised the prices for burgers to 35 cents. According to the lawsuit, Reese met with Atkinson, who told her that despite the agreement, Whataburger didnt believe it was obligated to approve new sites and that it could veto any sites that the franchisee selected. Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you. Lawrence Jagmin, of . Dobsons journey started when he left Arkansas for Texas in 1950. A host of new menu items was unveiled, including the Whatameal, the A.1. Thick & Hearty Burger, cookies, biscuits, chicken strips and more. Its a place people count on in their communities. Two die after small plane crashes in field southwest of Edmonton This attention to detail likely led to Whataburger receiving $50 in purchases on their first day.5. harmon dobson plane crash. Police found two dead people inside the. The Alice franchise was a quick success, and over the decades Whataburger and the Andrews familys company, Whataburger of Alice (WOA), grew in tandem. Its a little like a public divorceneither side walks away looking good, says Michelle Hartmann, a Dallas attorney who specializes in private-company litigation. DeLaughters Is the Little Grocery Store That Could, The Daughter of a Barbecue Family Takes Tradition in a New Direction, The Old Orange Cafe Is a Piece of Local History, Gen Zs Homemade Tortillas Could Use an Upgrade. Dobson agreed, and the Alice store opened a year later. By 1960, Whataburger had 17 restaurants. Eventually, Jim Peterson became the new CEO, but he left a negative impact on the company. It consists of a grilled quarter-pound beef patty, fresh lettuce, four dill pickles, three slices of tomatoes, chopped onions, mustard and ketchup. Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. Tom officially took over Whataburger in 1993 and is still company chairman today. Peterson resigned in 1993. It was also surprising to me that Whataburgers exists in other states. Unique 30-foot-tall A-frame design spiked interest in Whataburger It hurts the brand ultimately.. Lawrence Jagmin, of Frankfort, crashed Tuesday evening near Illinois 394 and Lincoln Highway in Ford Heights. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. In addition to a legacy of giving, Lady Grace made sure to instill her children with hard work and Whataburger values. 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. The plane was bound for Love Field in Dallas when it went down at 5:16 P.M. according to Mitch Barket, a Federal Aviation Admistration spokesman. With his massive profits, he dabbled in oil speculation and mining diamonds in South America. Cant tell much yet.6, August 11, 1950- Nice day today $97. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. As one of the largest franchisees, WOA was hit particularly hard by this arrangement. Whataburger proposed breaking the stalemate by approving the Laredo location only if Reese agreed to relinquish its lower royalty rate and give Whataburger veto power over all site selections, the lawsuit claims. . To use this feature, use a newer browser. New specialty items included the Whataburger Patty Melt and the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich. Decades-old military plane wreckage found in Alaska glacier, may give Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . Montana family mourning loss of pilot | ParkRecord.com 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. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. The burgers sold back then are the same as the original Whataburger that many Texans still love to today. The plane went up 100 feet off the runway and came straight back down. Grace Williamson and her 5-year-old son, Tom, rented a home owned by Dobsons brother Coy. 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. 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. Oct 21, 2020, 9:31am PST. After experiencing numerous losses that caused him to lose over $5,000, Dobson returned to the U.S. Dobson began by doing dozens of quick auto deals before returning to Texas to scout for oil. At 4:28 p.m, the plane took off, but, unfortunately, something went wrong. However, Dobson was already looking to move on to bigger ventures. Looking for a more secure venture, Dobson met and partnered with Paul Burton. 1967. This event coincided with the mass unemployment and hysteria that lasted throughout the following decade. Whataburger Field, home of the Corpus Christi Hooks celebrated a ground-breaking ceremony with Grace throwing out the first pitch. Food has always been a go-to for people in mourning. We still use 100% pure, never-frozen beef and serve it on a big, toasted five-inch bun. 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. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. 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. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. To this day, giving is a huge part of the Whataburger dynasty. 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. On August 8, 1950, the first Whataburger opened at 2609 Ayers Street. cemeteries found in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? 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. In the early years, Graces oldest son, Tom, enjoyed helping Harmon make the root beer at Whataburger. I found it very interesting that they are still selling the same tasty burgers they sold in 1950 at their first restaurant in Corpus Christi. Dobson faced financial challenges. Whataburgers Facebook page reached 1 million fans in 2013, just over a year after its launch. And it is crazy to think how it was once only 35 cents and burger and not they are like 4-5 bucks for the same burger that they sold back then. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. There was a festive atmosphere in first class that.