Gilbert Cuellar Sr., who began as a farmer and built the El Chico Corp. -- one of the largest Mexican restaurant chains in the nation -- died Thursday morning at the age of 75 after a lengthy illness.
His wife of 47 years, Kathleen Norman Cuellar, was with him when he died at his home.
Cuellar was described by friends as a respected man who taught integrity to others. He co-founded El Chico in 1940 and served for three years as chairman of the board beginning in 1982.
Cuellar, known as "Mr. Gilbert' to his employees, remained active until the time of his death, said company spokeswoman Wendy Petty.
"His business was his life,' Ms. Petty said. "When he wasn't at the corporation's offices, he was driving around looking for potential restaurant sites or in the kitchen cooking.'
Several of Dallas' successful restaurant owners also got their start at El Chico restaurants, including Raphael Carreon, owner of Raphael's; Mariano Martinez Jr., owner
of Mariano's, and David Franklin, owner of On the Border.
"I had a lot of respect for him,' said Carreon, who went from busboy and dishwasher to manager of several El Chico restaurants.
"He had guts. He stood up for what was right. He'd always tell it like it is,' Carreon said.
Martinez remembers Cuellar as "the guiding force' behind El Chico.
"People were very important to him,' said Martinez, who began as a busboy at the El Chico restaurant in Lakewood when he was 11 years old.
"He was a very strong man, an authoritarian figure, but well-liked,' he said. "He told me to always help people and make lots of friends.'
Cuellar, a native of Rosebud, in Kaufman County, came from a family of tenant farmers. His mother, Adelaida, cooked tamales and sold them at county fairs, Martinez said.
"I remember Gilbert saying that farming was hard work, so they might as well come to Dallas and open a restaurant,' he said.
Along with his four brothers, Mack Jr., Frank Sr., Alfred and Willie Jack, Cuellar started the Mexican food restaurant chain after moving to Dallas in 1940. They became known as El Chico's "Mama's Boys.'
In 1977, the brothers sold the chain to Campbell-Taggart Co. for $20 million in stock transfers. In 1982, Cuellar and his son, Gilbert Jr., bought the company back for $12.6 million in cash. After serving as chairman of the board, Cuellar became vice-chairman in 1985.
Today, the company owns 79 restaurants and has 23 franchises in 11 states.
In 1984, Cuellar was named the Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year by the Dallas Restaurant Association. That same year, he also received the Entrepreneur of the Year
award from the Minority Business Development Agency and the Secretary of Commerce's award for outstanding achievement.
A rosary will be read at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sparkman - Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Highway. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, followed by burial at Calvary Hill Cemetery.
In addition to his wife and son, Cuellar is survived by five daughters, Sylvia Luedtke, Carmen Summers, Evelyn Cronin, Elaine Jordan and Kathleen Bonsall, all of Dallas; two brothers, Frank Cuellar Sr. and Mack Cuellar Jr., both of Dallas; a sister, Maria Alvarado of Oklahoma City; and 20 grandchildren.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 08-01-1986.
His wife of 47 years, Kathleen Norman Cuellar, was with him when he died at his home.
Cuellar was described by friends as a respected man who taught integrity to others. He co-founded El Chico in 1940 and served for three years as chairman of the board beginning in 1982.
Cuellar, known as "Mr. Gilbert' to his employees, remained active until the time of his death, said company spokeswoman Wendy Petty.
"His business was his life,' Ms. Petty said. "When he wasn't at the corporation's offices, he was driving around looking for potential restaurant sites or in the kitchen cooking.'
Several of Dallas' successful restaurant owners also got their start at El Chico restaurants, including Raphael Carreon, owner of Raphael's; Mariano Martinez Jr., owner
of Mariano's, and David Franklin, owner of On the Border.
"I had a lot of respect for him,' said Carreon, who went from busboy and dishwasher to manager of several El Chico restaurants.
"He had guts. He stood up for what was right. He'd always tell it like it is,' Carreon said.
Martinez remembers Cuellar as "the guiding force' behind El Chico.
"People were very important to him,' said Martinez, who began as a busboy at the El Chico restaurant in Lakewood when he was 11 years old.
"He was a very strong man, an authoritarian figure, but well-liked,' he said. "He told me to always help people and make lots of friends.'
Cuellar, a native of Rosebud, in Kaufman County, came from a family of tenant farmers. His mother, Adelaida, cooked tamales and sold them at county fairs, Martinez said.
"I remember Gilbert saying that farming was hard work, so they might as well come to Dallas and open a restaurant,' he said.
Along with his four brothers, Mack Jr., Frank Sr., Alfred and Willie Jack, Cuellar started the Mexican food restaurant chain after moving to Dallas in 1940. They became known as El Chico's "Mama's Boys.'
In 1977, the brothers sold the chain to Campbell-Taggart Co. for $20 million in stock transfers. In 1982, Cuellar and his son, Gilbert Jr., bought the company back for $12.6 million in cash. After serving as chairman of the board, Cuellar became vice-chairman in 1985.
Today, the company owns 79 restaurants and has 23 franchises in 11 states.
In 1984, Cuellar was named the Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year by the Dallas Restaurant Association. That same year, he also received the Entrepreneur of the Year
award from the Minority Business Development Agency and the Secretary of Commerce's award for outstanding achievement.
A rosary will be read at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sparkman - Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Highway. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, followed by burial at Calvary Hill Cemetery.
In addition to his wife and son, Cuellar is survived by five daughters, Sylvia Luedtke, Carmen Summers, Evelyn Cronin, Elaine Jordan and Kathleen Bonsall, all of Dallas; two brothers, Frank Cuellar Sr. and Mack Cuellar Jr., both of Dallas; a sister, Maria Alvarado of Oklahoma City; and 20 grandchildren.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 08-01-1986.
Gilbert Cuellar Sr., who began as a farmer and built the El Chico Corp. -- one of the largest Mexican restaurant chains in the nation -- died Thursday morning at the age of 75 after a lengthy illness.
His wife of 47 years, Kathleen Norman Cuellar, was with him when he died at his home.
Cuellar was described by friends as a respected man who taught integrity to others. He co-founded El Chico in 1940 and served for three years as chairman of the board beginning in 1982.
Cuellar, known as "Mr. Gilbert' to his employees, remained active until the time of his death, said company spokeswoman Wendy Petty.
"His business was his life,' Ms. Petty said. "When he wasn't at the corporation's offices, he was driving around looking for potential restaurant sites or in the kitchen cooking.'
Several of Dallas' successful restaurant owners also got their start at El Chico restaurants, including Raphael Carreon, owner of Raphael's; Mariano Martinez Jr., owner
of Mariano's, and David Franklin, owner of On the Border.
"I had a lot of respect for him,' said Carreon, who went from busboy and dishwasher to manager of several El Chico restaurants.
"He had guts. He stood up for what was right. He'd always tell it like it is,' Carreon said.
Martinez remembers Cuellar as "the guiding force' behind El Chico.
"People were very important to him,' said Martinez, who began as a busboy at the El Chico restaurant in Lakewood when he was 11 years old.
"He was a very strong man, an authoritarian figure, but well-liked,' he said. "He told me to always help people and make lots of friends.'
Cuellar, a native of Rosebud, in Kaufman County, came from a family of tenant farmers. His mother, Adelaida, cooked tamales and sold them at county fairs, Martinez said.
"I remember Gilbert saying that farming was hard work, so they might as well come to Dallas and open a restaurant,' he said.
Along with his four brothers, Mack Jr., Frank Sr., Alfred and Willie Jack, Cuellar started the Mexican food restaurant chain after moving to Dallas in 1940. They became known as El Chico's "Mama's Boys.'
In 1977, the brothers sold the chain to Campbell-Taggart Co. for $20 million in stock transfers. In 1982, Cuellar and his son, Gilbert Jr., bought the company back for $12.6 million in cash. After serving as chairman of the board, Cuellar became vice-chairman in 1985.
Today, the company owns 79 restaurants and has 23 franchises in 11 states.
In 1984, Cuellar was named the Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year by the Dallas Restaurant Association. That same year, he also received the Entrepreneur of the Year
award from the Minority Business Development Agency and the Secretary of Commerce's award for outstanding achievement.
A rosary will be read at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sparkman - Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Highway. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, followed by burial at Calvary Hill Cemetery.
In addition to his wife and son, Cuellar is survived by five daughters, Sylvia Luedtke, Carmen Summers, Evelyn Cronin, Elaine Jordan and Kathleen Bonsall, all of Dallas; two brothers, Frank Cuellar Sr. and Mack Cuellar Jr., both of Dallas; a sister, Maria Alvarado of Oklahoma City; and 20 grandchildren.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 08-01-1986.
His wife of 47 years, Kathleen Norman Cuellar, was with him when he died at his home.
Cuellar was described by friends as a respected man who taught integrity to others. He co-founded El Chico in 1940 and served for three years as chairman of the board beginning in 1982.
Cuellar, known as "Mr. Gilbert' to his employees, remained active until the time of his death, said company spokeswoman Wendy Petty.
"His business was his life,' Ms. Petty said. "When he wasn't at the corporation's offices, he was driving around looking for potential restaurant sites or in the kitchen cooking.'
Several of Dallas' successful restaurant owners also got their start at El Chico restaurants, including Raphael Carreon, owner of Raphael's; Mariano Martinez Jr., owner
of Mariano's, and David Franklin, owner of On the Border.
"I had a lot of respect for him,' said Carreon, who went from busboy and dishwasher to manager of several El Chico restaurants.
"He had guts. He stood up for what was right. He'd always tell it like it is,' Carreon said.
Martinez remembers Cuellar as "the guiding force' behind El Chico.
"People were very important to him,' said Martinez, who began as a busboy at the El Chico restaurant in Lakewood when he was 11 years old.
"He was a very strong man, an authoritarian figure, but well-liked,' he said. "He told me to always help people and make lots of friends.'
Cuellar, a native of Rosebud, in Kaufman County, came from a family of tenant farmers. His mother, Adelaida, cooked tamales and sold them at county fairs, Martinez said.
"I remember Gilbert saying that farming was hard work, so they might as well come to Dallas and open a restaurant,' he said.
Along with his four brothers, Mack Jr., Frank Sr., Alfred and Willie Jack, Cuellar started the Mexican food restaurant chain after moving to Dallas in 1940. They became known as El Chico's "Mama's Boys.'
In 1977, the brothers sold the chain to Campbell-Taggart Co. for $20 million in stock transfers. In 1982, Cuellar and his son, Gilbert Jr., bought the company back for $12.6 million in cash. After serving as chairman of the board, Cuellar became vice-chairman in 1985.
Today, the company owns 79 restaurants and has 23 franchises in 11 states.
In 1984, Cuellar was named the Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year by the Dallas Restaurant Association. That same year, he also received the Entrepreneur of the Year
award from the Minority Business Development Agency and the Secretary of Commerce's award for outstanding achievement.
A rosary will be read at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sparkman - Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Highway. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, followed by burial at Calvary Hill Cemetery.
In addition to his wife and son, Cuellar is survived by five daughters, Sylvia Luedtke, Carmen Summers, Evelyn Cronin, Elaine Jordan and Kathleen Bonsall, all of Dallas; two brothers, Frank Cuellar Sr. and Mack Cuellar Jr., both of Dallas; a sister, Maria Alvarado of Oklahoma City; and 20 grandchildren.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 08-01-1986.
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