Troy N. Smith, founder of Sonic drive-in restaurants and long-time Shawnee philanthropist, has died in Oklahoma City after a short illness. He was 87.
Between 1948 and 1953, Smith ran a series of restaurants in Shawnee, eventually opening the Top Hat root beer stand, where he developed many of the concepts that would make Sonic successful.
In 1958, Smith and his partner, Charlie Pappe of Woodward, opened restaurants in three other cities and changed their names to Sonic to match their slogan: “Service With the Speed of Sound.”
From that point, Sonic Drive-Ins began sprouting in small towns across the country, eventually growing to a total of 3,600 in 42 states.
“Troy inspired a lot of people to get into the Sonic business and it has really grown and taken off,” said John Winterringer, of Wintco Inc., a Sonic franchisee.
“He was a great guy, very giving. He and his wife, Dollie, donated $5 million to the Shawnee YMCA about five years ago and have donated to local veterans and to Baptist Hospital. He was just a great guy.”
The Shawnee Y was named The Troy and Dollie Smith Family YMCA in honor of their generosity.
“I’ve never met any two who have shared more than Troy and Dollie Smith,” former Shawnee banker Gene Rainbolt said at the time. “No one has more generosity than Troy and Dollie Smith. No one has given more and cared more and worked harder to give.”
A release from Sonic announcing his passing said that Smith’s “entrepreneurial spirit, his pragmatic no-nonsense approach to the business, and his desire to create opportunities for others earned him many friends and admirers over his lifetime.”
Smith’s daughter, Leslie Baugh, said that her father died Monday. His health had been declining recently, she said.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Christian Church of Edmond.
He is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Dollie; his daughter, Leslie Baugh; his son, Troy Smith, Jr.; eight grandchildren and nine great-granchildren.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
