It was interesting to me reading about the founder of this fast food chain Whtaburger, and all the dedication he put towards his work, I think is very tragic and unfortunate the way Dobson died, he would have accomplished much more succeses during his life time. 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. I never knew anything about the man who created it and i found it hilarious that he wanted people to say what a burger! Today, in 2019, it has been 69 years since the first Whataburger opened up. This was interesting article especially since it was about a burger that is highly famous here in Texas. Treating our customers right. The menu grew as well, with French fries and hot pies being added in 1962. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? So, Dobson, being a former pilot, used a Piper Sub Club plane to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers. With his massive profits, he dabbled in oil speculation and mining diamonds in South America. 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. Their business completed the next day, on April 11, 1967, and the men were going back home. The war was over, and his adventure had ended. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. The struggles that Dobson endured building such an important food chain are inspiring. Weve updated the security on the site. 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. Online ordering through Whataburgers app and website debuted in 2019. January 1, 1950- I think this will be an eventful year for me.1. But in April of that year, a plane accident cut short Harmon's life, leaving her with three . In addition to a legacy of giving, Lady Grace made sure to instill her children with hard work and Whataburger values. In the early years, Graces oldest son, Tom, enjoyed helping Harmon make the root beer at Whataburger. She lived simply and seldom spent the Whataburger money, aside from the many charities to which she contributed. Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? She did not like to drive, so for years he picked her up and drove her to monthly USO meetings. Please try again later. 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. He felt like the burgers at Dairy King were too small and wanted to build a really big burger, calling it the Whataburger. 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. 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. Also, Whataburger expanded to places such as Las Vegas and Memphis, where the company was unknown, leading to a lack of customers purchasing food. 200 RESTAURANTS AND GROWING. The burgers were always cooked exactly how the customer wanted them to be. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? At first, Harmon was content to help his parents on the farm, but his wanderlust eventually returned, calling him elsewhere. We have set your language to Although he missed college, Harmon was determined to make his way in the world. The University of Houstons Barth says such changes arent unusual in a company that has grown to Whataburgers size. 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. And as long as they can still get their Green Chile Double Whataburgers or Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits, they probably dont care. Their family complete, the Dobsons embarked on the happy, golden age of Whataburger. In 2017 alone, Whataburger partnered with over 600 charities across its ten-state service area, donating over $5 million. Im glad to read that Tom Dobson, his son, was able to continue the legacy that was left by his father. harmon dobson plane crash. Harmon Dobson was the founder of WHATABURGER Inc. [5] In 1963, Whataburger opened its first location in Arizona totaling the number of stores 26. I found this sad and interesting. The location of the first Whataburger was 2609 Ayers Street, across from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. This was a very interesting story to tell! He nearly lost a lot of money due to his drunk oil partners actions. Five of the crew died while waiting, and the remaining seven . Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. 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. 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. As one of the largest franchisees, WOA was hit particularly hard by this arrangement. 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. The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Harmon Dobson (16533251)? We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. Dobson was involved in the early growth of the franchise from 1950 until his death in an airplane crash in 1967. Once it was averted, Harmon began searching for a new path to success. It consists of a grilled quarter-pound beef patty, fresh lettuce, four dill pickles, three slices of tomatoes, chopped onions, mustard and ketchup. Failed to report flower. Thomas Mark Harmon, 50, of Laurel, Mont., died at the scene Monday after crashing his small plane . 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. The young man would go on to amass a fortune in land and cattle, not far from where he first disembarked. Search above to list available cemeteries. Ive always enjoyed eating the food there and its a top 3 fast food chain for me. The Dobsons son, Tom, became Whataburgers chief executive in 1993. Harmon Dobson founded this famous Texas hot spot in 1950. And on May 6, 1999, Whataburger by the Bay opened in Corpus Christi as a tribute to Whataburger's upcoming 50th anniversary. Dobson and Burton's goal was to make a burger that took two hands to hold and that tasted good. The story of Dobson was well written here. 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. Its so interesting that he aimed to create a burger that would require hands to hold it. Really great article. 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 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. So, he brought along Johnny Sneed, who was working with a Whataburger franchise in Victoria, Texas. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Whataburger Fancy Ketchup, Spicy Ketchup and Original Mustard became available at H-E-B stores and online at. A brief period of military camels in Texas became lost to even most history books. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. . Dan Solomon writes about politics, music, food, sports, criminal justice, health care, film, and business. Please enter your email and password to sign in. It was very smart of Dobson to drop flyers and coupons to potential customers so that his business to boom even more. The Dobson family and their extended Whataburger family rallied around and supported Grace as she took over the business. 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. Please reset your password. Following his success, Dobson began dabbling in oil and purchased a small well in Mountain Home, Arkansas. For Adler, the name on the stadium and the ball-throwing honor were small tributes to a woman he thought the world of. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. In June Dallas-based Brinker International, which owns Chilis and Maggianos Little Italy, unveiled a plan to buy franchises to boost earnings. It is a place that feels like home to more than 50,000 employees, called Family Members, and millions of customers. 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. Year should not be greater than current year. 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. In 1959, the first Whataburger restaurant outside of the state of Texas opened in Pensacola, Florida.[5]. Ive always associated Whataburger with Texas and learning more about an integral part of Texan culture was enjoyable. I hope to become a successful journalist in the future. 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. The burgers sold back then are the same as the original Whataburger that many Texans still love to today.