After nearly 60 years of teaching cosmetology at Enid Beauty College, Lois Record, 93, is set to retire as new ownership takes over. Also retiring is Record’s daughter, Kathy Martinez, who has worked alongside her mother since 1985.

It has been a family affair, with Record learning from her mother, Wylma Powell, who taught at beauty colleges around the state. Record said she started when she was about 10, and said she grew up in her mother’s salons.

“I grew up in the business,” Record said. “My mother had beauty colleges in Enid, the Oklahoma City area, Tulsa area, and this is when I was young. So I grew up learning the business. And learning from her how to train students at beauty colleges. It’s just been kind of a family business with three generations.”

Enid Beauty College’s location from 1963-2008 was at 16th and East Broadway, before a larger location was needed. The current location is 3905 S. La Mesa.

Record said there have been a few thousand students to come through the beauty college in her 59 years at the helm. She said she never thought about being in the business for so long, but that it is what she enjoyed getting to do each day.

“I never really thought about it. But you know, I’ve loved it,” Record said. “All through the years, it’s been my life. It’s what I get up in the morning for and think about at night. But I never looked ahead to know that it was going to be what it became.”

The students and instructors she has had the pleasure to work with were the driving force for her being involved for so long. She said she wouldn’t have been able to continue this long without such dedicated people involved.

There have been a lot of friendships made and memories that have made her time at Enid Beauty College special.

“I think back on all the great memories that I’ve made,” Record said. “That’s the main thing that I think about looking back at all the years.”

After learning the trade from her mother, Record has been able to do the same with her own daughter. Being able to work alongside Kathy has made it three generations of teaching cosmetology in Oklahoma.

“It’s been a real joy. We work together really well, I think,” Record said. “She also is a workaholic. She is the one that has made it possible for me to continue doing what I love to do. And I hadn’t ‘t been able to be in the school as much in recent years, and she has made it possible for me to continue being here.”

Martinez said she recognized her mother’s impact on the community after so many years.

“She’s very well admired in the community and in Northwest Oklahoma by many, many people,” Martinez said.

With hairstyles changing by the decade, it can be a challenge to keep up with trends. Record said it was an aspect of always being ready to learn new techniques and continuously being educated on updates.

“It’s a continual educational process for all cosmetology and salon owners,” Record said. “You go to educational clinics … it was a constant thing. Several times a year, we would travel all over the United States going to special classes and educational events .”

Enid Beauty College will be under the ownership of Linda and Ricky Freeman. The Freemans own Formations Institute of Cosmetology and Barbering in Woodward, and the same name will be applied to their new location in Enid.

Record said her health was a concern recently, which was a reason for her to start thinking about retirement. She said she may not have thought about retiring otherwise, but is pleased to be able to turn the Enid Beauty College over to somebody with plenty of experience in the field. She said the Freemans had been wanting to expand, and the timing worked out well for all.

“I’m very, very pleased that a person such as Linda is going to be able to continue on with what we’ve started,” Record said. “She’s just amazing. We were very happy, and very pleased that they did want to take over the school. So that kind of answered my situation at that moment, and they were very happy, too, to be able to take over the school.

“She is a great person. And I just would not have wanted to turn over the school to just anyone. It was like a miracle that she’s the one, because it’s my life. She’s going to continue on with it and make it even greater .”

The Freemans will take over in early September with plans in place to offer more courses than the Enid Beauty College had available. Linda Freeman said in addition to cosmetology and master instructor courses, manicuring, barbering and esthetician will be taught. There will also be courses on eyelash extensions, hair extensions, more services and training, as well as teaching how to gel polish, do acrylic nails and more.

Freeman said their main goal is to uphold the standard that has been built by Record and Martinez.

“Basically we want to build upon the legacy that Kathy and Lois have already had set the building blocks for,” Freeman said.

Freeman said having both locations under the same umbrella will allow for all credits to be transferred between the schools. Normally, only a portion of credits could be transferred if they were from another beauty college.

Freeman has been in the business since 2003, and is looking to bring her expertise to the Enid location. She said she was already aware of Record and Martinez and what they had accomplished before purchasing Enid Beauty College.

“I already knew who they were,” Freeman said. “The other thing is, for me personally, I attended what used to be Woodward Beauty College three times myself. I got my barbering license, I got my cosmetology license and then I went back for my master instructor license.”

A retirement party is planned from 2-4 pm Sunday at Enid Beauty College to celebrate Record and Martinez. Freeman also will be on hand for anyone who wants to meet her and learn about how she will keep the tradition going.

Record said she hasn’t decided yet what she will do as she heads toward retirement.

“I don’t really have any plans,” Record said. “I’m not as concerned as everybody else is about me and what I’m going to do. This has been what I’ve done every day for so many years .

“Sometimes it’s been long hours. When you’re the one in charge, it’s not just a nine to five. It’s 12-14 hours all seven days a week.”

Of all the things she will miss, Record said being around the eager minds willing to learn and the people she became close with are things she will miss most.

“Of course just the association with the students,” Record said. “But I’ll miss everything, especially the relationships. But I’m ready. I wouldn’t have been ready a few years ago, I think.”