Gene Waylan has owned and operated the Ku-Ku Burger since August 22, 1973. He and the Ku-Ku have been featured in the Oklahoma Route 66 Association Trip Guide and the Northeast Oklahoma's Guide to Green Country 2009. They have also been on the Public Broadcast Station network. What started as an interview with a local PBS affiliate in Oklahoma City, became a nationally viewed program. People from all over the world come to the United States to travel "the Mother Road". As their journey brings them through Miami, the Ku-Ku is usually a point of interest. Therefore, Gene enjoys his visits with people from all over the world.
Gene supplies free sodas each cruise night. During the summer he provides some special meals and desserts. In June for a special treat, he furnishes ice cold watermelon for us. In July for our Super Cruise, he always serves free hot dogs and chips. For Ladies Night in August, it is strawberry shortcake. At the end of the season in September, we have Chili. The Ku-Ku was once part of a franchise with about 200 restaurants. Now we are fortunate to have the one and only. Rosie, Gayle and Gene are shown in the photo above with the original neon sign from 1965 and his pair of Fairlanes.
He has owned his beloved 1967 powder blue Fairlane since May 19, 1967. It has survived his three children learning to drive with a few parts replaced with each new driver. (A couple of doors, fender and hood.) It only has about 110,000 miles on it.
Daughter Gayle works at the Ku-Ku. Son Daryl is a computer programmer in Little Rock. Byron works for Shell Oil in Houston.
Gene supplies the food for a "tailgate party" for the NEO A&M football team after the spring scrimmage. He participates in the "Feed the Players" program the local restaurants do for the high school team. He provides the refreshments for the Paralyzed Veterans turkey hunt. He sponsors two baseball teams, a softball team and soccer team. He provided the food for the Boy Scouts working on their God & Country badge.
Of course Gene couldn't do all that he does without great help. His daughter, Gayle, has taken over some of the responsibility of running the restaurant. She has worked for her dad for a long time starting while she was in school. She has raised her three children and now has a granddaughter that will soon be a year old. She worked her senior year of high school in the B. F. Goodrich office on a work study program.
Rosie has worked for Gene for twenty-four years. She does, but not limited to, the "office work". (Accounting, correspondence, payroll.) She also fills- in at the Ku-Ku when Gene is short-handed. Rosie is also involved in inventory control for Gene. She does the food prep for our cruise nights.
She and her husband, Jack, are also involved in the community. The turkey hunt for the Paralyzed Veterans is on their property. The "Vets" enjoy a day of hunting and usually come back with a wild turkey.
All of us Rebels pitch in and help her on the cruise nights when we have special refreshments.
We are very appreciative of Gene and all that he does for the Rebel Car Club. We are also grateful for Gayle, Rosie and his whole crew. With his employees he couldn't do all that he does. A great big "THANK-YOU" to Gene, Gayle and Rosie and the crew.
