My hairtell.com hair removal forum was founded in response to a now-defunct forum called Kitty’s Consumer Beware. The site owner, Cathey Annette Baker, was a tenacious defender of “no-needle electrolysis” in the days when the internet was the Wild West in terms of advertising. She also allied herself with a number of hair removal practitioners who saw this forum as a threat, because consumers weren’t censored and we discussed pros AND cons of various forms of hair removal.
A reader alerted me to an email they received regarding the death of “Kitty,” and I confirmed it with an announcement in the Dallas Morning News:
http://www.legacy.com/dallasmorningnews/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=123842906
Cathey Annette Baker
Baker, Cathey Annette Age 60, of Garland, passed away February 5, 2009. Restland Funeral Home 972-238-7111.
Published in the Dallas Morning News on 2/8/2009
The funeral home had a page on her:
http://www.restlandfuneralhome.com/obituaries/tribute.html?urlName=Cathey-Annette-Baker-Garland-TX-2009&urlID=85226096
* BORN: January 3, 1949
* DIED: February 5, 2009
* LOCATION: Garland, TXShe was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn and Ouita Baker. She is survived by brother, Reginald Baker and wife Tanya; sister, Schari Baker Bibb and husband Ryan; nephews, Jared and Jordon Baker; nieces, Jessica Bibb Girard and husband Adam, and Megan Bibb; nephew Schuyler Bibb; greatniece Madison Grace bibb; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
The super-expensive no-needle devices are almost completely obsolete at this point. Both major manufacturers, Guaranty Hair Removal and Rejuvenu, are out of business. Rejuvenu founder Lee Cole died in October 2004.
These devices were especially problematic, because they sold for thousands of dollars and were advertised as home businesses. That meant that an unwitting practitioner would rip off their friends and neighbors before determining the device did not work as claimed, thereby ruining their reputation and business. The only people who made money were the people running the Multi-level marketing plans to sell the devices.
It’s a shame that “Kitty” spent such a large portion of her life fighting to promote questionable products and services. Imagine if that energy had been put to more productive use, even just spending more time with friends and family. Perhaps there’s a lesson in that for each of us.