At Triplett's Drive-In, Hazel Triplett's specialty as hospitality

ST. PETERSBURG — She crafted the pie crusts by hand at home. The onion ring batter at Triplett's Drive-In was hers, too.

At the landmark eatery, Dean Triplett manned the cash register. But Hazel Triplett was the coach in the kitchen, guiding the team preparing homey, old-fashioned fast food.

By the time Mrs. Triplett's daughters arrived home from school, she'd be back at the stove, shaping the family meal.

"She had a servant's heart, and her mission in life was to take care of her family and anyone else that had a need," said one of the daughters, Judy Fritts, 60, of Cookeville, Tenn. "Including the need for hamburgers and milk shakes."

Mrs. Triplett died of natural causes Sunday at Consulate Health Care nursing home in St. Petersburg. She was 89.

From 1946 until 1976, the husband-and-wife team owned and operated one of St. Petersburg's first drive-ins at 2500 Fifth Ave. N. When Triplett's closed in 1982 under a different ownership, people called it the end of an era.

In the 1950s, Triplett's had 50-cent steak sandwiches and 10-cent Cokes. Forget today's mega-chains. Every day, freshly ground chuck beef arrived from a meat market down the road. They sliced their own french fries and onion rings and used real ice cream in the shakes. They served no alcohol. Their specialty was hospitality.

"You pulled your car up to the drive-in, and we put a tray on your window," said Alfred May, 71, who at 16 was a carhop there in the '50s. "If you got a 10-cent tip, that was good. A 25-cent tip was wonderful."

Triplett's quickly became a go-to spot for St. Petersburg High School students, especially after football game crowds spilled across the street. In 1962, when students were made to stay in school for lunch, the teenage crowd was supplemented by doctors, lawyers and housewives.

Mr. Triplett was more often the chatty one with customers. Mrs. Triplett would remind him that there were orders to fill.

By 1970, the Tripletts partially retired and began keeping shorter hours. In 1976, they sold the restaurant. In 1977, Dean Triplett passed away at 68.

Mrs. Triplett didn't stop working. She knew how to type and went to work in the office of Robert Melby, an optometrist and former state representative.

"Mom never quit. Mom was one of those personalities who always had to be doing something," said Fritts. "She was the hub."

Times researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report. Luis Perez can be reached at lperez@sptimes.com or (727)892-2271.