**Nancy Cook began working for Norms in 1976. She retires this week. (Photo by Alex Dominguez)**

DOWNEY — Regular diners at Norms will have to cope with seeing one less familiar face after this week.

It was 1976, and 22-year-old Nancy Cook was going through a tough time in her life.

“I had dropped out of college; I was struggling in some areas of my life. I was like a troubled kid,” said Cook, now 63. “A lot of drinking, excessive drinking. Party phase. The party was over but I was still there.”

Needing something to spark a turnaround, Cook happened upon an advertisement seeking applicants for a new Norms restaurant location.

“I drove by and they had advertising for, they were going to open Norms Santa Ana,” said Cook. “So I applied and I got a job as a graveyard server.”

Things started out okay for Cook, who moved up from working graveyard to dinner shifts, though she still had a few rough edges to smooth out.

“I was still kind of a mess. You know, a lot of troubles,” said Cook. “Like when one time they seated me too many tables. And so I went up to the hostess and I said, really nicely, ‘If you seat me any more people, I'm gonna kick your ass.’

“So the next day I got in trouble. But I was really upset because this is how I looked at it: I said it nicely. You know, I didn't come up in her face.”

Still, Cook says that Norms saw something in her and looked past her flaws.

“They started to develop me to management,” said Cook. “It changed my life…They were able to take a big ol’ mess; like I would have had to get rid of somebody for the things that I did. You know what I mean? It would have just been too much.

“But they saw something and they still.. when I made mistakes, or was late every day, they took it as an opportunity to teach me and coach me and so they wanted to move me into management. So they started training me, and what happened was I grew.”

Every Norms has a General Manager, and then two assistants: one in the kitchen, and one front of house.

Cook was determined.

“So they promoted me to service manager but they didn't have any women managers, because it was ‘back in the day,’” said Cook. “I became obsessed with becoming the first woman manager, which they told me I couldn't be a chef, because I didn't know how to cook. So I spent my three-week vacation one year learning to cook at another Norms.

“I really have nothing but Norms. My life was nowhere but Norms. It was okay for me to spend my vacation there. I didn't have family. I mean, I had just my family but no husband, no kids, so I was able to be a workaholic. So then they promoted me and I eventually made the first woman manager when I was 29.”

In 2000, an opening at Cook’s hometown Downey restaurant opened up. Not only would she apply, she would be granted the position.

“And I was so happy because my daughter went to Downey school so… I could leave work in the afternoon, go to her awards assembly or for her softball game, or her dance recital, come back to work, it was awesome,” she said. “I've been so grateful that I've been here. It's a mile down the street. I don't have to worry about traffic anymore.”

In total, 22 of Cook’s 46 years with Norms have been served in Downey. Over that time, she has developed many friendships and relationships.

“If I had one thing to say that I loved about the businesses, it’s the people, the customers and the employees,” said Cook.

Cook is retiring this week. As this chapter on her life closes, Cook says she’s “ready to slow down,” and intends to focus on family.

“I have my daughter, she has two kids. I also have three step kids; one of them lives in a different state. I'm going to go visit,” said Cook. “My mom is 92, [I’m going to] spend time with my mom.

“You know, the challenges of Norms were, I work every weekend, and every holiday my entire life. So, when like at Christmas time, we would celebrate Christmas the day before, a few days before. Thanksgiving, we would do it the day before, you know what I mean?”

Still, she remains thankful for her time spent at Norms.

“I guess I'd say that every single day that I worked, there has always been something to be joyous and laugh about every single day,” she said. “There's been joy, even in the hardest, craziest days,.

“It's just the way that they loved me and took care of me…[they] gave me such a fun workplace.”

After 46 years working at Norms, Nancy Cook is ready for retirement