Back in the day, Janet Maples‘ Scarlet Angel hair salon at 34th and Guadalupe became a favorite gathering spot for Austin’s gay and lesbian community, and that tradition held firm long after Maples moved on and the space evolved into other salons under new owners. But that’s just a smidgen of how the multifarious Maples will be remembered at a memorial on Saturday. Maples died Jan. 21, three weeks after turning 58 on New Year’s Day. Friend and Austin attorney Mary Kay Sicola says Maples had clipped hair for thousands of clients dating back to the Seventies. “I recall Janet’s bawdy sense of humor, which she shared generously,” said Sicola, “as well as her dedication to the homeless.” After relocating to her ranch in Hondo, in South Texas, Maples took up breeding and showing Nigerian Dwarf goats. Like Scarlet Angel, the ranch also served as a salon of sorts, where visitors were treated to buttermilk biscuits, bonfire chats, music in the kitchen, and cold vodka shots.
Maples is survived by her mother, Fern Maples; her partner of 24 years, Anna Renken; two brothers; and many other relatives and friends. A memorial will be held in her honor at 12:30pm Saturday at Unity Church of Austin, 2806 Del Curto Rd. Maples also requested that food, drinks, and rowdy storytelling follow at 2:30pm at Threadgill’s World Headquarters, 301 W. Riverside. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to an account set up for the care of Maples’ mother at Community Bank of Hondo, PO Box 130, Hondo, TX 78861.
This article appears in January 28 • 2005.
