Midway resident Charlene Johnson has built an impressive, five-decade career as an in-demand Hollywood hairdresser, styling the likes of Elvis Presley and Doris Day to Mel Gibson, John Travolta, and, most recently, James Lafferty and Danny Glover.
But despite her illustrious resume, Charlene said her favorite roles are those of wife and mother. Balancing career and family required deliberate choices and sacrifice, but for Johnson, family always came first.
“My kids … bring me more joy and happiness than anything else I’ve ever done or any memory I’ve ever had,” she said. “My kids now can’t believe some of the films I turned down, but they’re the reason, and I don’t regret it. It would have been fun, but the price was too high.