Des Lacs native Lawrence “Joe” Whitty, who turned his dream of a family-oriented restaurant into a multi-million dollar business based in Bettendorf, Iowa, died Tuesday.

Whitty was born in Minot on Sept. 10, 1937, as one of five children of Lawrence and Roberta Whitty.

He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Des Lacs High School in 1956. That same year, at 18, he leased a drive-in restaurant in Minot and ran it successfully for two years. According to published histories, the year Whitty closed the drive-in, he also married and took a job in a bakery in Crookston, Minnesota, beginning a series of jobs in the CO Bakery chain that lasted nearly 10 years.

In 1966, Whitty moved to Davenport, Iowa, to take a job operating the Super Value Bakery on 4th Street. Three years later, one of the nuns at Mercy Hospital talked him into re-opening the bakeshop at the hospital. Later he became the dietary director at Mercy.

It was while he worked as a supervisor and manager of Shakey’s Pizza, in the late 1960s, that Whitty thought about combining pizza and ice cream. It was an unlikely combination that did little to inspire enthusiasm in the owner of Shakey’s, according to Whitty’s story on the Happy Joe’s website. Joe spent a while in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he operated three stores for the owner of Shakey’s.

When he returned to Davenport, Joe was determined to pursue his own idea for a restaurant.

Turned down for loans by a series of banks, he found one that saw merit in his idea. The Small Business Administration also agreed to lend him $30,000, and the first Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream opened in the Village of East Davenport, Iowa, on Nov. 16, 1972.

That year began a custom that has continued. The parlor closed for a day in December to host a Christmas party for children with disabilities. The franchise grew to about 100 pizzerias, including some in Cairo, Egypt.

Not long after the restaurant opened, Whitty’s wife, Sandy, was diagnosed with leukemia. She died at age 34 in November 1974. Their two boys and two girls ranged in age from 8 to 14.

In May of 1976 Joe married widow Nancy McGrath and brought the five McGrath children into the family. As the years passed and the Whitty children completed their educations, they all joined the Happy Joe’s organization.

Larry, the oldest, serves as corporation president. Tim, the younger son, served as president of store operations for a time. Julie, the older daughter, worked for several years as personnel/payroll supervisor. Kristel, the younger daughter, is advertising and marketing director.

During his semi-retirement, Whitty continued to be involved in the decision making at Happy Joe’s. He also was involved with Junior Achievement, Partners in Education and The Handicapped Development Center. Annually, he sponsored a group of 12 students from the Bettendorf Elementary Schools, who would meet once a month in the board room at Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream to discuss world events, how to be a contributing citizen in the community and other topics. Whitty spoke at many schools and before civic organizations about the important link between business leaders and schools.

Whitty and his family also founded the Happy Joe’s Kids Foundation in 2012 to improve the lives of children with special needs.