Bessie “Cleo” Noe Lamson, longtime co-owner of the now-defunct Wide-A-Wake Cafe on Route 66 in Edmond, Okla., died at age 102 on Monday, according to an obituary in the Edmond Sun.
Lamson and her husband Crawford owned the Wide-A-Wake for about 50 years until they retired. The restaurant was open 24 hours a day, a rarity during that era.
Even though the restaurant has been gone for many years, it remains in the memories of many Oklahomans and older Route 66 travelers. The Wide-A-Wake even was the subject of a book, “Tales of the Wide-A-Wake Cafe,” by Curt Munson.
A painting of the restaurant can be seen here.
Lamson was born in Sunset, Texas. In addition to several daughters and grandchildren, she is survived by 12 great-grandchildren and eight great-great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Baggerley Funeral Home, 930 S. Broadway in Edmond. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Gracelawn Cemetery in Edmond (map here).