It's the Barber Shop that Jean Built.
In 1978 Ruby Jean May became one of the first black women in Reno to open a barbershop.
Our Someone 2 Know this week has been described by many in Reno and Sparks as an icon of the black community. After moving to northern Nevada in her teens, she went on to become a well-respected business owner. A business that is still open to this day.
Ruby Jean May lived to be nearly 80 years old, and earlier this month her family and friends said their final goodbyes.
Join us as we pay homage to the women known affectionately as "Miss Jean"
"We were doing Quo Vadis, we were doing jheri curls, she could do it all,” explains friend George Boykins, “Jean - she just had that flair"
Jean’s daughter, Vivian Michelle Feemster, agrees; "This is Jean's Barber Shop. She loved cutting hair, she mastered it.”
Daughters Michelle Feemster and Jackie May - who laid their mom to rest on April 1st- Jean and her shop provided so much more than great haircuts. Miss jean's lifelong clients and friends couldn't agree more;
"She's an icon in the community and she crossed generations,” affirms Pastor Norris D Dupree, Sr.
For Ronald Hall, Sr it was very personal; "She kinda like took me on as, like a little son".
Great-nephew Clifford Porter III, Sr. has warm childhood memories of the barbershop; "That was my hangout, there was no clubbing and hanging out with friends, I would be at the barber shop".
Friends say Jean's Barbershop became a vital place to gather for serious reasons, too. Community advocate Gwen Taylor remembers the early days of the AIDS epidemic; “She would let us have HIV prevention classes at her shop".
"It was the home of the NAACP for a couple of years when I was president,” recalls Lonnie L Feemster, “And it was where we did census outreach, where we registered voters".
When racism would rear its ugly head - Jean and her barbershop were there;
"Back in the day when I came here, her place was a safe haven, smiles Haven Merritt.
Jean’s nephew, Charles C Porter, is moved by all his aunt did for him; "She said don't worry about it boy, don’t worry about it, you gonna be alright, my aunt Jean was always full of encouraging words"
And always ready with a smile to warm your heart; a smile just as big as her drive and determination
"It was hard hard working,” Marcus McAlister remembers, “She was there from the morning and the night".
"Everything I do right now in my lifetime, I pattern after what she showed me,” explains Ronald Johnson
"She was a business woman but she was down to earth, says Emmitt "Robbie" Webber, “She didn’t look down on anyone.
"She was truly an icon,” remembers Pastor Don C Butler, Sr., “She met no strangers - she helped everybody"
Now that the services and celebrations of life are over- friends and family say the memory of Miss Ruby Jean May prevails;
"Jean will always, always be one of my best friends,” share Lucille Adin.
Daughter Michelle knows her mom would be so happy to know she touched so many lives; "Her legacy will live forever"
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Jean's Barbershop is now run by her daughter Jackie May, who worked side by side with her mom for 30 years.
The shop is on 7th street in Reno.
There were so many tributes to Miss Jean that we could not squeeze them all into this story, so we've posted them, alongside this one, to our website WWW.2News.com
