Whataburger Family Member Retires After 54 Years

‘Miss Connie’ Spent Over Half A Century With The Iconic Texas Brand

Connie Claxton hung up her Whataburger uniform for good when she clocked out on Wednesday, Aug. 14, ending 54 years of working for Whataburger of Mesquite Inc.

Claxton started in July 1970 when a Whataburger cost $1, gas was 36 cents a gallon, Richard Nixon was president, and “Close to You” by The Carpenters was number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

“I used to work at Aetna Life Insurance in downtown Dallas,” she said. “I was paying for a sitter, and it was expensive. Then, once, I ate at Unit 56 at Motley Road and Gus Thomasson, and it was the best burger I ever ate.”

Claxton quit her job at Aetna and went to work two evenings a week and Saturday, leaving the kids with her husband. “I made more money and just fell in love with the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Heiman,” she said.

It was John and Joyce Heiman’s first year owning Whataburger of Mesquite. Claxton worked side-by-side with the founders and grew up with the brand, working at 10 locations, including as General Manager at Unit 208 in Terrell.

“Terrell was the highlight of my career,” she said. “I was single, and this gentleman would come in with his special needs son, and I wondered what it would be like to be with someone like him. It was amazing how he took care of that boy.”

He eventually worked up the nerve to ask her out. “I would have married him the next day, but we waited a year,” Claxton said. They were married for 30 years until he passed away around 11 years ago. That’s when she moved to Forney and became a Team Leader.

“It’s been a real treat for me,” she said. “I live just two miles from work. I see a lot of my people from my church. It’s been a blessing to be here.”

Manager Laken Haggard said customers notice when “Miss Connie” isn’t there.

“She’s just a light to everybody she’s around,” Haggard said. “She’s the same age my grandma would be, and I never knew my grandma. I see her as my work grandma.”

Claxton said she will do things with her church friends that she hasn’t been able to do before — going to evening church functions, getting together for lunch and playing bingo.

“I’m looking forward to it, but I’m so thankful I’ve worked with some of the most wonderful people,” she said. “I’m leaving on good terms. I have felt like they have always taken care of me.”