'King of Beauty Business' will be missed

Recently I had the pleasure of spending time writing an article about the man many called “The King of the Beauty Business," Norman Langlois. I just received notice that Norman passed away on June 5, 2019 at the age of 92.

A gentleman and an icon, Norman served his country in World War II on PT boats and a destroyer.

Norman bought his first beauty shop in the 1950s and the legend began. He soon founded The Empire Beauty School, training many local residents for lifetime careers.

Norman was known as a great boss and benefactor. This was demonstrated in part by his policy where any veteran entering his shop would receive a free haircut. It is estimated that he gave out more than $100,000 in free haircuts. Norman was the 2018 recipient of the MOAA-NH Granite State Warrior Award.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, June 10, at St. Mary Church, Newmarket, NH. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery Newmarket.

Norman Langlois was one of a kind and will be missed.

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Numerology is a funny thing. Many people place significance in a particular digit or group of same. Or course there is 3.14 or Pi, and there is always lucky (or not so lucky) 13. (And who lived on 1313 Mockingbird Lane?)

How about 666 the sign of the beast? Another number with great significance is seen by many at an athletic contes, as in, "We’re No. 1!"

Here’s something that has many familiars: the luckiest number, days in the week, continents, colors of the rainbow, deadly sins and many more involved with the number 7. The number 18 seems to free people for a lot of things like voting, and other legalities. How about the way to get help: 911? Latin American young ladies are well known for their fondness by celebrating their Quinceanera or 15th birthday. For many New England fans, there is a GOAT, No. 12 of course.

Then comes to us often as in top 10, or how about the Ten Commandments?

OK, OK. Perhaps we went a little overboard with the number thing but … there is a creative reason for my numerical wanderings.

Here’s a challenge for you from Dennis Ciotti. Let’s take one number 2023 and link it with another, 400, and what do we get?

Congratulations to you smarties. In 2023, Dover will be 400 years old and we’re gonna have a party! Dear friend and City Councilor Dennis Ciotti just plunked down $400 to start fundraising to kick off our celebrations. “I challenge another 399 folks to do it,” said Ciotti.

Here’s your opportunity to take part. It is an easy and not terribly expensive way for you to help jump start the community’s birthday engine. $400 for 400 has a nice ring to it, eh? To participate send a check for $400 made out to City of Dover and the memo should read Dover 400th Anniversary.

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Seems to be a bit of grousing going on about Dover’s historic County Courthouse Building being torn down or preserved in some manner, and whether something should be put into the city’s bylaws about having a way to protect other buildings before the same thing comes up again. What are your thoughts about that? Also an attempt was made some time ago to create a historic district and it failed. Is it time to try that again?

One other thought which would, I suspect, need City Council action. (Can you hear me out there councilors? I know you read this column, but you never answer my requests.) We’ll talk more about this next week, but there are a number of people in the community who have no idea who does what for them and their tax dollars, yet they love to complain. This isn’t the time for that … that’ll be next week.

Here’s my thought, it is a way to educate our young citizens on who does what and it can be done it in an easy, pleasant way. Let’s have a Dover student government day with middle or high school kids appointed (in their schools, manner to be determined) to ride side saddle with local officials for a day. City clerk, auditor, head of Water Department, etc. I think you get the idea. Over a period of years this will prove itself to be of value to the community. Whaddya think?

Enjoy the sunshine. Thanksgiving is only 5 months away.

Be kind, smile and be empathetic.

Ron Cole can be reached at mrdoverdoins@gmail.com.