The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Lea Tauriello

Making Waves: Ronald Brusachetti said of his mother, Dee: "She's not at all interested in retiring." The hairdresser, pictured here at her birthday party on Friday, has her first appointment of the day pick her up from home and the last drive her home.

Retirement is a sore subject for 80-year-old hairdresser

Avenue stylist turns 80 on Christmas Day

By Michelle Ku

Like clockwork, whether it's raining or shining, Dee Brusaschetti can be found hard at work at Ronald's, a Willow Glen hair salon, four days a week. At a time when most people her age are retired, Brusaschetti--who turns 80 on Christmas day--isn't contemplating retirement. She will continue to work as a hairdresser.

"I really don't know [how long I'm going to do hair]," Brusaschetti said. "I always said, 'As long as I'm able to stand behind this chair, I'm going to keep going.' "

Retirement is a bit of a sore subject for Brusaschetti, says her son, Ronald Brusa-schetti, owner of Ronald's at 2291 Lincoln Ave. He doesn't mention it to her anymore.

"She's not at all interested in retiring," Ronald Brusaschetti said. "I feel like I need to say something to her like, 'Would you like to retire?' That's what other people her age do. I'm sure a lot of the clients who come into the salon wonder how long is this guy going to make his mother work, but it's quite the opposite."

In honor of her 80th birthday and 50 years in hairstyling, Brusaschetti's colleagues threw her a surprise celebration last Friday.

Providing 80 colorful balloons, her favorite cake--lemon--and the gift of having a star named after her, Brusaschetti's co-workers made her 80th birthday one to remember.

"It was very touching," Brusaschetti said. "I was really surprised, and two girls from across the hall [at the Phoenix Gallery] came over and sang me 'Happy Birthday.' It was amazing. It took me by shock. I even had tears coming down."

While Brusaschetti was anticipating a typical Ronald's birthday celebration, cake and a card, she was unaware that her colleagues wanted to do something special for her.

"We've never had anybody her age," said Diann O'Brien, a Ronald's hairdresser. "For her 80th birthday, we decided to do something special. How many opportunities do you get to have a working hairdresser at 80?"

These days, Brusaschetti has a closed clientele. She hasn't had any new clients for years, and all of them have been with her for at least 25 to 30 years, she said. While she has slowed down and decreased the number of clients she sees, Brusaschetti can see up to eight or 10 customers per day.

One of Brusaschetti's clients, Ann Foster, has been with her for 47 years. Through the years, Brusaschetti has worked at different salons, but Foster loyally followed her to Ronald's when the salon opened in 1962.

"She's been more like a friend instead of somebody who just does a service for you," Foster said. "I can just sit there and let her do whatever she wants, and I would be pleased. She just knows me, knows what I like and knows my hair."

The loyalty Brusaschetti's clients feel for her is also expressed by the fact that her first appointment of the day picks her up and her last drives her home.

"She lives rather close to the salon, and for the vast majority of her clients, it's right on their way," Ronald Brusaschetti said. "I don't know if she specifically schedules a woman with a car for her first and last appointments, but she's got it down to a science."

Brusaschetti has never driven, and before her husband died 10 years ago, he drove her to and from home. After Brusaschetti's husband died, her clients began driving her to and from work.

"I pick her up in the morning [on Fridays]," Foster said. "You don't mind doing that. She's doing you a service, and it's no big deal to do it. You have to be at the shop anyway, so just get there 10 minutes earlier and pick up your operator. She just has loyal people."

Fifty years ago, Brusaschetti accidentally began her career as a hairdresser. "There were four cousins," she says. "Two of us could be nurses, and the other two would be hairdressers. I was supposed to be a nurse, but my cousin said, 'I can't be a hairdresser, I can't work with her.' "

So Brusaschetti became a hairdresser to please her cousin, and the rest is history. "I love hairdressing," she says. "I'm a people person, and I love to take care of people."

Brusaschetti continues to attend hair shows and conventions to keep up to date with the current styles. She also places her clients above herself.

"She is very loyal to her clients," Ronald Brusaschetti said. "She hardly ever takes a vacation. As a matter of fact, I don't think vacation is in her vocabulary. If we wanted to get away for a week or so, she'll always be, like, 'What about my clients? Who will take care of them?' "

Over the years, Brusaschetti has seen the various styles and trends come and go. She remembers when upswept hairstyles and bouffants were very popular. "I've been very, very lucky," Brusaschetti said. "In the long time I've done hair, my customers' hair has always been perfect."

Jan Burkhart, a Ronald's hairdresser, agrees with O'Brien. Burkhart views Brusaschetti as a grandmother and often takes Brusaschetti out to shop, to breakfast or to other places.

"I think it's going to be a wonderful legacy for her grandchildren to have," O'Brien said.

[ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ]