Navalette “Novie” Baily passed away Sunday. At 95 years old she was Venice’s oldest resident. The niece of Irving Tabor (Abbott Kinneys chauffeur), Novie spent a lifetime watching Venice change. “She was sharp as a tack and still hosting dinner parties” says Venice resident Barbara Lonsdale, “she insisted on doing all the shopping and cooking!” Amongst her many achievements, it is believed that Novie helped create the very first “disco ball” while working for Arthur Reese (Venice’s town decorator hired by Kinney) in the teens.
Here is Navalette and her cousin Jataun Valentineon speaking about Venice on KCET’s Departures. RIP Navalette!