Bartlesville Oklahoma Ford Dealership Going Strong in Their 68th Year of Service in the Community
April 26, 2009 by Brad - Your Car Guy
Doenges Celebrates 68th Year in Bartlesville
In April 1941, my grandfather, William C. “Bill” Doenges, purchased the Ford dealership in Bartlesville from Bert Gaddis. Two generations and 68 years later his business is still going strong.
He Was Only 14 Years Old
Bill Doenges took his first job with the Ford agency in Tonkawa when he was 14. His ambition to become a dealer was realized in 1931 when he acquired the agency at Braman, north of Blackwell.
The Ford Story in Bartlesville, Braman, Coffeyville, Towanka and Tulsa
Over the next 20 years, one success led to another as he operated numerous dealerships. In 1936 he acquired the Ford agency in Tonkawa, and in 1942 acquired the Ford agency in Coffeyville, Kansas.
In 1948, he bought the Ford agency in Tulsa, which was later operated by his sons, Bill (my father) and Bob Doenges, as Doenges Brothers Ford. (As an aside, last month I mentioned that he acquired the dealership in Braman in 1929. We have some documentation for this – he was honored by Ford Motor Co. in 1979 for being a 50 year Ford Dealer; however in preparing to compose this letter, I found some newspaper quotes from him indicating this was actually in 1931. Who knows?)
Doenges The Senior Toyota Dealer in Oklahoma
In 1968, he acquired the Toyota franchise at the Bartlesville dealership, and in 1984 added Lincoln Mercury. Today, Doenges is the oldest Toyota dealer in the state of Oklahoma.
By the late 1970s, the agency had outgrown its original location on Osage between Frank Phillips and 4th Street and moved to our current location on Washington Boulevard.
By the late 1980s, as his health deteriorated my uncle Bob became more involved in the dealership, eventually becoming the dealer principal when my grandfather passed away in 1991.
“All I Ever Wanted to be was a Good Ford For Our Community”…Bill Doenges 1971
My grandfather had many other interests and accomplishments in his life and was a super grandfather, but he told me late in his life that “all I ever really wanted to be was a good Ford dealer.” In 1971, when celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Bartlesville agency he said, “if I were to start over today in business, I would buy the Ford agency in Bartlesville…I felt it was the best community in Oklahoma 30 years ago and it still is!”
To Learn, To Love, To Leave a Legacy
It’s in keeping with this spirit that I proudly carry on his legacy. He set a great example through his success, but more importantly through his commitment to the community with his leadership and financial support for dozens of organizations, sports teams and causes. If you ask any Doenges associate today, I feel confident they would say the thing they are most proud of working here is the fact that Doenges Toyota Ford Lincoln Mercury is active in our community and gives back to make it stronger for everyone.
Doenges Ford Lincoln Mercury Toyota Recognized and Voted the Favorite
As I said in my letter last month, there is a reason we’ve been voted Bartlesville’s Best Auto Dealer the last four years in the Examiner-Enterprise Best of Bartlesville Readers’ Choice Awards. To the point, it is our employees and our customers. It’s you – you are the reason!
Ford Is Financially Secure, Strong and Stable
It’s a crazy time. Who would have predicted that the U.S. Government would virtually be running leading American automobile manufacturers? Or that they might actually need to go through bankruptcy to restructure? We’re awfully proud of Ford Motor Co. for not being in that position. We feel our products across all our lines, Toyota, Ford Lincoln and Mercury, are the best, and the best they have ever been. If you don’t believe me or know someone who doesn’t, do as Ford says, come “Drive One” I’m sure you will be impressed. Call or email me or one of my associates and we will show you!
At Doenges Toyota Ford Lincoln Mercury we’re still fighting for your business and winning every day. We know that our future and the future of our country depend on hard work, the willingness to sacrifice and a commitment to each other as co-workers, community members and Americans.
As we celebrate our 68th birthday, I want to personally say thank you! We can’t do it without you.
Best regards,
Brad Doenges 3rd Generation Auto Dealer
P.S. Please check out the news, reviews and insider tips I post on my blog every day at www.bradyourcarguy.com.
For more information please contact Brad Doenges of Doenges Ford Lincoln Mercury Toyota in Bartlesville Oklahoma at (918) 333-0900.
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