Behind the chair, Ryta finds a story in everyone

Continued from last week…

While living in Lansing, Michigan, Ryta had talked with his own barber, a man he remembers as “old Norm.” The conversation helped plant the idea that barbering might be something Ryta could do himself.

Norm also talked about what years behind the chair had done to his shoulders, back and legs.

Ryta was younger then.

After more than two decades as a barber, he now understands what Norm meant.

When Ryta arrived in Marshfield, the shop where he began getting his hair cut was Fred and Don’s Barber Shop at 903 S. Central Ave. Fred Heier and Don Anderson had operated the business together. Anderson later left barbering to sell insurance, and Fred continued with the shop.

Heier also had a military background. He served in the United States Army’s 32nd Infantry Division during the Berlin Crisis and later in the Army National Guard before building his career as a barber in Marshfield.

Ryta enrolled in a barbering program through Mid-State, earned his license and went to work at the shop in 2004. Over time, he took on more of the business and eventually purchased it.

Today, Jeff’s Barber Shop remains at 903 S. Central Ave.

Ryta says one of the things he likes most about barbering has little to do with hair.

“I love to talk.”

The people who sit in his chair have come from almost every walk of life.

“I’ve had janitors, school teachers, doctors, lawyers, business owners,” Ryta said.
“Everybody’s unique. Everybody has a story. It’s very interesting.”

Pete Behrens is a good example.

Pete had been coming to Fred for haircuts since moving back to Marshfield in 2003. Jeff began working there in 2004 and later took over the business.

Pete simply kept coming.

Hence the joke: he came with the building.

Ryta’s sense of humor also extends to another subject — the saxophone.

There are reports that he plays one.

“I think that’s a rumor going around that I play the saxophone,” Ryta said.

That is about as close to a confirmation as he was willing to provide.

What does appear settled is that Ryta does not take requests. For a barber who has spent more than two decades listening to customers tell stories from his chair, apparently there are limits to what the customer gets to ask for.

At nearly 6-foot-5, Ryta also has at least one natural advantage as a musician: most of his notes could probably qualify as high notes.

Asked if there was a song he particularly enjoyed playing, Ryta finally supplied a title.

“Free Bird.”

There was an immediate problem.

“I thought you don’t play ‘Free Bird,’” I said. “I don’t.”

And that was apparently the end of requests for the day.

The humor comes easily, but Ryta was more reflective when asked what he wanted people to understand about his years in the Marine Corps.

“My time in the Marines, I would not trade that for anything in the world,” he said. “Well, maybe my children. But that ranks very high up there.”

More than four decades later, the pride in having earned the title Marine is still there.