By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
Patty Burns called to tell me her brother, Ronald Eugene “Gene” Vogler, was retiring after 58 years of barbering, and the family would love it if the paper did a story. She did not, however, mention that interviewing Gene would be exceedingly difficult because I would laugh more than I interviewed. Getting a straight and serious answer was nearly impossible as Gene is quite a character and enjoyed much banter with my colleague Terry Rigdon.
Gene attended Cincinnati Barber College in October of 1965. The day before he started college, he played in a basketball game where he got elbowed in the eye, so on his first day, he presented with a large eye shiner. He felt confident they didn’t think he’d last three days in the program.
Gene graduated and started cutting hair; he charged 65 cents a haircut – that’s hard to believe! Even today, his price is a more than fair $7 a cut. He said, “Most young guys don’t want to work for what I worked for – they want big money.”
After graduation, Gene went to work for Shorty Johnson in West Union from 1965 to 1976. Another gentleman from the city opened the barbershop on 201 East Main Street but was unsuccessful in running it. He regularly contacted Gene to encourage him to purchase the space, but Gene was happy where he worked. In 1976, the man called and told Gene he could take over his barbershop. Gene accepted, and that is where he has been ever since. Gene recently sold Vogler’s Barber Shop to Jody Daniels but will remain working part-time.
Gene said that his career had been a lot of fun. He stated, “The town and the county have all been good to me.” He talked about cutting hair at rest homes, the jail, and the sad visits to the funeral home to give a final haircut. He shared, “You get attached to people, things they say, and the hurts in their hearts and lives.”
Gene has been married to his wife Velma for 57 years. They have a son, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Friends and customers are invited to a retirement party in Gene’s honor on October 30 at the West Union Fire Department from 1 – 4 p.m.
Gene shared a few stories, but because I was laughing so hard and I’m not sure if he was just pulling my leg – I’ve decided to say it was a delightful visit. I’ve concluded that barbers are much like bartenders because folks tend to tell them their woes and regrets. Gene will miss his cherished clientele. He concluded, “I couldn’t have been treated any better. Nobody gave me a hard time. We’d just laugh. I want to thank the people from all over – many good people – the best, the best.”