March 29, 2024

Local cosmetologist retires after 66 years

Verna Morris, 85, will retire March 31 after 66 years as a cosmetologist.

“This has been a bittersweet decision, because I will desperately miss my many loyal customers, but will enjoy the extra time that I will be able to spend with my husband, children, and grandchildren,” said Morris.

Morris is the daughter of the late Glenn and Ester Chapman of Creston. She attended school in Orient for 10 years and Cromwell for two years, graduating in 1951. She then attended the American University School of Cosmetology in Des Moines with her sister Bernice. In 1953, six months after graduating, they opened their own salon in the basement of the Hughes building in Lenox: the Twinette Beauty Salon. Bernice and Verna are not twins, but they are only a year minus one day apart and due to Bernice’s childhood illness were in the same grade all through school.

The sisters worked at the Twinette until they both married. Morris married in 1955 and opened a beauty shop called “Verna’s Country Beauty Shoppe” in the basement of her home north of Lenox. In 1970, Morris and her husband moved to Lenox, and she designed and opened “Verna’s Beauty Salon,’ which she has operated for the last 49 years.

The beauty business has changed in the last 66 years. When Morris first started, places were just moving away from machine perms using metal rods and heat to machineless waves. Cold permanent waves followed, which she said were much easier to apply. Morris said she has noticed that more people are just letting their hair go gray and not getting waves these days. She feels that may be because of the increased costs. A machine wave used to cost $7.50. Now people pay up to $75 for a permanent.

Morris said she has loved the cosmetology business and was good at her job. Morris has many loyal clients from Creston, Orient and around the area who drive to Lenox to get their hair done. Working out of the salon in her basement allowed her to be help out on the farm and be home for her two daughters, Angel Sorden and Joni Thelen. Her husband could come home for lunch every day. She has also been able to spend time with her five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

“It will be hard to put down the scissors,” said Morris.

She will miss working, sharing stories, and laughing with all of her loyal patrons but needs to retire while her health is good and she has time to enjoy her retirement.