After 48 years of providing comfort food, the Chuckwagon Cafe is closing.

Owner Cathy Stolz said people have made the endeavor fulfilling and enjoyable. She said the motto, “Serving the best since 1970,” refers to the food, the guests and employees.

“You don’t last 48 years in any business without a stellar staff,” she said. “And we’ve had the best of the best.”

Leading up to the Wednesday, March 6 closing, Stolz is hosting a four-day “Farewell and Thank You Party.” It began Tuesday and runs through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 81027 N. Highway 395, Hermiston. The celebration crescendos Friday from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Free cake will be served all four days. Featured specials include New York steaks, catfish dinners and encrusted French toast breakfasts.

The Buttercreek Boys were going to perform Friday night, but their performance has been canceled. The seasoned musicians have performed monthly at the cafe since November 2010.

All former staff will receive a 48 percent discount — in recognition of the cafe’s 48 years. Stolz hopes to catch up with lots of familiar faces.

“I love connecting with past staff members who come in to dine or text me or post updates and photos on Facebook,” she said. “They will always be family to me.”

Stolz didn’t initially have her sights on a career in the restaurant industry. Although, as a young girl doing household chores, she would pretend she was working as a restaurant dishwasher. In addition, whenever Stolz played Monopoly, she wanted to be the banker.

“I liked counting and giving out the money,” she said. “At the cafe, I choose to work the late shift and take care of the money.”

She studied the Bible and journalism at Multnomah School of the Bible (now Multnomah University) in Portland before heading to the Chicago area. After working from 1972-79 on the editorial staff at Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society, Stolz returned to Eastern Oregon.

She worked at The Nickel Classifieds, Hermiston Herald and East Oregonian before heading to the coast in 1981 to work for The Daily Astorian, also owned by EO Media Group. After six months, her position was eliminated.

Dorothy and Duane Beason, her mother and stepfather, suggested she return to Hermiston to help at the Chuckwagon Cafe. The Beasons opened their first Hermiston eatery in 1970. The Chuckwagon, a drive-in, was located at the current site of Panda Inn. A couple of years later when a fire destroyed the structure, they reopened it as the Chuckwagon Cafe where The Nickel is now housed. They built the current cafe in 1979.

In retirement, Stolz plans to continue volunteering in the community. Over the years, she has given back by donating gift certificates, holding fundraisers and supporting such groups as the Boy Scouts of America, a local race car team, the Community Fellowship Dinner and Umatilla High School’s first robotics team.

“They named their robot Chuck, which made me cry,” she said.

Stolz has met thousands of people. In addition to serving meals, she has hosted free S.O.S. meals for veterans, held Dutch oven cook-offs and offered specials for holidays. She said it’s been fun watching multiple generations of families grow up.

“The most amazing people have walked through our doors every day,” she said “I can’t think of any other profession that could have been so fulfilling and enjoyable.”

Recent hip problems, Stolz said, have slowed her down. Tired and in pain, she decided to sell the cafe. In the fall she put a notice on the cafe’s website and got a couple of bites. However, the parties were interested in leasing. When Stolz finally decided to list it, she received two offers in less than a week.

“I decided I wanted to sell it and walk away,” she said. “I’m so amazed and I’m so grateful.”

While not finalized, Stolz said a couple of sisters plan to turn the cafe into a Texas barbecue.

“I’ve been ‘married’ to the Chuckwagon. Who knows, I may start dating, get married, settle down and raise a family,” she said with a laugh.

Stolz reminds people to redeem Chuckwagon gift certificates by March 6. For more information, call 541-567-6329 or visit www.chuckwagoncafe.net.