Dr. Pepper and the Taylor Greer family in Mineola
Bottlers were reluctant to break the nickel price. However, in 1955, Coca Cola introduced a 26-ounce family size returnable bottle which became popular in Texas. Soon Dr. Pepper and Seven Up followed suit.
In 1955, after operating the business for 17 years after the death of her husband, Ebbie Bomar Greer decided to sell the company. Mrs. Greer was 76 years of age. She was tired and ready to take life a little easier.
A bottling company in Mt. Pleasant bought the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of Mineeola, and the plant closed its doors on August 11, 1955. All equipment belonging to the Mineola plant was moved to the Mt. Pleasant location by the new owner. Delmar Crimm, an employee of the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company in Mineola, moved to Mt. Pleasant to work for the new company.
Both Taylor Greer and his wife, Ebbie, were well liked and respected by the residents of Mineola. The Greers were members of the First Baptist Church of Mineola and both taught Sunday School classes. One of the Sunday School classes was named for Mr. Greer. Mr. Greer was also a member of the Masonic Lodge in Mineola.
Greer and his wife were very generous with their and money in many local activities. In the early 1930s, Greer and his employees built a small cold drink stand at the football field in Mineola. The stand was eight feet square. Football games at that time were always played on Friday afternoons, because the field had no electric lighting.
Several hours before a game, Greer and an employee, John Hallmark, in a company pickup truck, would come to the stand, bring a drink box and a 50-pound slab of ice and put them in the stand.
Then Greer and Hallmark would fill the drink box with drinks, then chip the 50-pound slab and spread the chips over the drinks so that they would be cold before game time. Mr. and mrs. Greer donated the drinks, the drink box and ice for all the games.
In the Diamond Jubilee edition of The Mineola Monitor dated march 26, 1936, a number of Mineola businesses placed congratulations ads on the 60th anniversary of the newspaper. Dr. Pepper was also 50 years old in 1936. Mr. Greer placed an ad in the Jubilee Edition extolling the merits and healthful qualities of Dr. Pepper. In part, the advertisement read, "Medical doctors and dietetical experts have declared Dr. Pepper a pure blend of natural flavors to be pleasing, wholesome, healthful and highly desirable with each bottle containing 103 calories of fuel."
The Greers had no children but a niece of Mrs. Greer lived with them for a period of time, and her nephew, Bruce Bomar, managed the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company for Mr. Greer after Mr. Greer's untimely death in 1938.
Ebbie Bomar Greer's father was Rev. T.S. Bomar who was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jefferson for many years. Rev. Bomar died in 1920.
The love and respect of the City of Mineola's resident for both Mr. and Mrs. Greer has sown on the day of the funeral service for Mr. Greer. The time of the service was set for 2 p.m. At noon on that day, every store in Mineola closed and locked their doors in respect for him and they remained closed for the rest of the day.
Although Ebbie Bomar Greer sold the bottling company in 1955, she retained ownership of the building at 122 North Johnson Street in Mineola. Numerous businesses operated in this building, including an A&P Grocery Store and two printing businesses. Today, the building belongs to the First Baptist Church of Mineola and is currently being renovated for use as a youth activity center.
Ebbie Bomar Greer, after the sale of the business, continued to make Mineola her home, until her death in 1963. She was 84 years of age at the time of her death.
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