Wanda Sue Mason

Wanda Sue Zarelli

Wanda Sue Zarelli passed away, Fiday, January 4, 2008 at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was born September 29, 1933, in Prairie Grove, Arkansas the son of Birdie and Mac Mason.

Wanda graduated Prairie Grove, High School in 1951 where she was editor of the year book, a class officer, cheerleader, and honor student who received the American Legion Merit Award.

In the early 1960's, Wanda moved to Hollywood California and began an illustrious career as a hairstylist and businesswoman. She was the first licensed female barber in the state of California. She was once recognized as the top hairstylist in Los Angeles and appeared on a national radio show for this award. In 1975, in Beverly Hills, California, Wanda opened ?Zarelli Look? hairstyling salon. She was a resident of Beverly Hills and a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Wanda had an impressive client list during her career as a hairstylist. Some of the names on that list included actors Lucille Ball, Barbara Eden and Vince Edward; The Lawrence Welk Show and Branson, Missouri, singer Tom Netherton, Jockey Willie Shoemaker, William Morris Talent Agency, moguls Sam Weisborg, and Norman Brokaw; renowned real estate developers Melvin Simon and Jerry Wolman. Wolman was a former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles. Wanda moved back to Prairie Grove in 1985. She worked for ten years in the dining hall department at the University of Arkansas.

In 1993 Wanda developed Breast Cancer. She did most of her treatments in Tulsa, at the Cancer treatment Centers of America. Wanda represented the State of Arkansas at the groundbreaking of the new Cancer treatment center hospital in Tulsa in 2005. Wanda celebrated fifteen years of cancer survival in 2007. In her later years, Wanda enjoyed cooking, traveling abroad, having lunch with her friends, singing in the church choir, genealogy, and visiting her grandchildren. She was member of the Prairie Grove Methodist Church. She was also a member of the Eastern Star and the United Daughters Of The Confederacy. Wanda was a very talented and beautiful woman who lived an extraordinary life, and along the way, she made many friends and touched many lives. She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, Joe Robison and Leandro Zarelli, one sister, Polly and one brother, Bob.

She is survived by two sons, Marcus Joe Robison and his wife Leslie of Haskell, Texas and Jonathan Shawn Robison of Prairie Grove; one sister Peggy Lou Karnes of Fort Smith, one brother, L.H. Mason of Wichita, Kansas; two grandchildren, Macy Kate Robison and McCauley Joe Robison of Sulpher, Louisiana.

Visitation will be Wednesday, from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Luginbuel Chapel in Prairie Grove. No other services will be held.