Norma Miller, who opened Fulda’s Cottonwood Drive-In in 1957, and worked there until she retired in 1996, passed away on Sunday, August 27th.
She, along with her husband, Kenneth, were well-known as Fulda business owners. They purchased the Cottonwood Drive-In from a trio of teachers who were looking to sell it. The couple worked hard to make the building into the drive-in restaurant that they had planned.
During their first summer, the highway was closed for a new roadway to be built. The foreman of the road crew asked Norma to deliver meals to his men. She would pack coffee, donuts, milk and root beer for their morning lunches. At noon, she would take the men sandwiches.
Young and old alike were always welcome at the drive-in, but it was the very young that got treated to a free ice cream upon their first visit.
The Cottonwood Drive-In was well know for it’s BBQ on a bun hand made by Norma on a regular basis. Top that with cheese and add fries and you have the best selling meal of the day.
The Millers sold their drive-in restaurant to daughter Judy, in 1978, but Norma continued to work there until her retirement.
Norma’s funeral was held on Friday, September 1, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Fulda.
