June 01, 2006
In Memoriam
James Conway, co-founder of Mister Softee Inc., passed away on Sunday after a battle with cancer. Mister Softee (for the few of you who have not enjoyed the summer treat) sells soft-serve ice cream from its distinctive trucks which play copyrighted music while driving through neighborhoods. James and his brother, William, started the Philadelphia-area ice cream company in 1956. With the help of a local dairy, an advertising company and a friend, the brothers created the ice cream, the jingle and the Mister Softee trademark. After the brothers decided to franchise, James handled sales and marketing and William took care of the accounting and administration. Today, about 350 franchise dealers operate 600 trucks in 15 states. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that during summers, Mr. Conway ate at least a spoonful of ice cream every day.