DALLAS – W.W. “Foots” Clements, who drove a delivery truck for Dr Pepper while in college and eventually became chairman of the Texas-based soft drink company, has died. He was 88.
Clements died in a Dallas hospital from complications of dementia Thursday, the Dallas Morning News newspaper reported on its Web site.
An Alabama native, Clements started working for the company in July 1935. He was chairman emeritus of the company and maintained an office at the Dr Pepper/Seven Up Inc. headquarters in suburban Plano until he was hospitalized Sept. 25.
Clements joined Dr Pepper in 1942 as a zone sales manager, working with bottlers in Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Two years later, he was promoted to the company’s Dallas headquarters.
Clements became president and chief operating officer in 1969 and chairman of the board in 1974. He was chairman until 1986 and a director until 1995.
“The entire Dr Pepper/Seven Up family is saddened by the news of Foots’ death and there is a deep sense of loss felt throughout the organization,” company president and chief executive Doug Tough said.