Janet Schlarbaum

Janet Schlarbaum is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who resides in picturesque White Bird, Idaho. A career cosmetologist, Janet retired in 2004 to help care for her great-grandson, Cason. Janet graduated from high school in Mountain Home, ID in 1959, and from beauty school in 1960. In 1961, Janet married her high school sweetheart, Burt Schlarbaum, and by 1962, she had opened her own beauty salon, A Touch of Class, and was pregnant with her first child. That same year Burt, an Army private, was shipped off to Vietnam. Thankfully, the story of the Schlarbaum family did not end there. Burt returned from his tour without incident, and the Schlarbaums had three more children. Burt opened an auto repair shop nearby, and Janet’s salon soon became a popular spot for the local women to get their hair done and discuss the latest gossip. As Janet Schlarbaum’s children grew, so too did her involvement in the community. Janet Schlarbaum never missed an opportunity to attend her three sons’ sporting events or sew costumes for her daughter’s ballet recitals. She also baked her famous molasses cookies for numerous bake sales, chaperoned field trips to local museums, and brought hot meals to senior citizens through her church’s outreach program. When she is not looking after her great-grandson, Janet Schlarbaum keeps busy with numerous hobbies and activities. She is still an active member of her church, donating crafts and baked goods for church bazaars and tag sales. She also gives back by styling the hair of several elderly neighbors and helping out with the local food shelf and battered women’s shelter. In addition, Janet Schlarbaum is a member of her local Red Hat Society, bridge club, and book club. She also enjoys quilting and other needlecrafts, as well as traveling, walking, and reading, and she has raised kittens since the 70’s.