Born: Kansas City, Kan.

Family: Husband, Shaun; children Hannah, 21, and Noah, 18.

Occupation: Owner and groomer, Wizard of Paws.

Dream job as a child: Gee said she always liked working with animals.

“That’s all I ever wanted to do,” Gee said.

Digging deeper: Gee graduated from Turner High School and then moved to Basehor when she was 18.

Gee majored in elementary education at Pittsburg State University, but decided as a PSU senior in 1992 she wanted to follow a different career path. Gee eventually went back to school to finish up her degree because she said it was important to show her children the importance of finishing one’s schooling.

Gee actually started animal grooming in college when she was 20.

In a way, Gee is teaching today.

She is a certified groomer through the National Association of Creative Pet Groomers, traveling as far north as Wisconsin and Minnesota and as far south as Alabama doing seminars and webinars.

“It’s a pretty cool deal,” Gee said.

She and her husband moved to Tonganoxie 14 years ago. At one time, she showed horses “all over.” Now, her daughter is carrying on the activity.

Gee likes to cook, as well as can foods. Salsa and pickles — dill, hot and garlic — are her specialties.

“I have so many people from when we were young still want pickles,” she said.

When not canning, Gee is at her shop with Diva, her standard poodle and the shop’s unofficial mascot.

Asked about the most challenging animal to groom, Gee said the alpaca has that distinction. But she welcomes numerous animals to her Fourth Street shop.

“I love being downtown,” she said. “You just get to know people and their businesses. I love that part of it.”