I met Bob two years ago at an Idaho State University Homecoming event, and his upbeat vigor for life and love of Pocatello astounded me. I am thankful for the opportunity to write this article about such a unique and amazing individual, a proud Bengal and Pocatello resident.
I arrived at Bob Kimber’s home and was greeted by his small dog, Ginger. As Bob and I sat down to talk about his life, classical music softly played in the background. “Claire de Lune” began to play and already I felt nostalgic and excited to hear about his life story. Kimber is an 87-year-old native of Pocatello and an alumnus of Idaho State University.
Kimber received his first certificate from ISU in 1943 as a machinist while he was still a senior in high school. The day after he graduated from Pocatello High School, he left for the United States Navy. Having the technical certificate from ISU helped him advance quickly in the Navy.
After serving in the Navy for three years, he returned to Idaho to work with Standard Oil Company as a service attendant. He soon became a manager and managed multiple stations in Idaho Falls. Wanting to stay in Pocatello with his wife and two small children, he resigned from Standard Oil after 9 years when asked to relocate to Salt Lake City.
Bob’s mother played a role in his next decision, as she owned a small salon at the front of her house, and suggested that he attend cosmetology school. Although slightly reluctant at first, he found out that men in the hair industry did quite well. He enrolled in ISU College of Technology’s Cosmetology program. Kimber said, “I had always done a little bit of art in school…so I ended up in beauty school.”
He admitted that the men in the more traditional “male” technology programs at ISU made fun of him at first, but having been a boxer in the Navy as well, he quickly solved this problem. He also stated that they soon began trading him wrenches for combs and brushes.
After graduating in 1951 from ISU’s cosmetology program, he received three months of advanced training from famous stylists at a school called United Artists in San Francisco.
“Money was tight,” said Kimber, stating that while he attended school in California, his family stayed in Pocatello. Fortunately, he was able to stay with an aunt and uncle in San Francisco while taking advanced classes.
He reminisced about his lunch choices during his three months in San Francisco. “Monday was a [25 cent] bowl of clam chowder. Tuesday was a tuna fish sandwich. Wednesday was minestrone soup. Thursday was tuna again or a hamburger. And Friday was clam chowder,” said Kimber.
After his training, he worked at the Bannock Hotel beauty salon for a year. He then opened his own beauty salon on the back porch of his rental house with only $150, utilizing used chairs and blow dryers.
Years later, after expanding his business and working a few different businesses, he actually came back and became an instructor at ISU’s cosmetology school. He was an instructor for 10 years.
“I loved that job,” said Kimber, and continued, “When I started teaching at the cosmetology school, the statement I constantly heard was, ‘I can’t do that.’” Kimber realized a big challenge for him would be changing the concept of “I can’t” to “I can.” Having attended a seminar by motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, he heard about the “I CAN” program. Using some of Ziglar’s ideas, Kimber had the students decorate actual cans that said “I CAN.”
He said, “No one has ever described the shape, size or color of an ‘I can’t.’ ‘I can’t’ must be two things: either ‘I don’t know how’ or ‘I won’t.’ Both can be remedied.”
He had his students put their “I CAN” on their work station to remind them of their great potential.
“I am happy to say it worked,” said Kimber. Kimber is now a donor for an ISU College of Technology scholarship as well.
Having been a machine operator and hair stylist among other jobs, Kimber states he is a great believer in a technical education.
Since his work at ISU, Kimber has traveled the country and has become an entrepreneur many times over. Kimber works out every day with bicycling and calisthenics (rhythmical exercises) to keep him healthy and in shape. He also believes in giving hugs. He believes that hugs make the world a better place and can make a person’s day. Having been a recipient of his hugs myself, I can attest to the truth of his statement.
He currently works with a number of volunteer organizations, including Valley Pride and Friends of the Library. He is a mentor to local salons and businesses in town as well. He has also delivered magazines to the local hospital for 50 years. Kimber loves ISU and Pocatello.
“I just want to make it a wonderful world,” Kimber said.
