Tribute to the Late Venetian Reinstalled at Ocean Front Walk
By Nick Antonicello
In cooperation with the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department and the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, a bench & plaque memorializing longtime Venetian Jeffrey Solomon has been reinstalled.
A dedication that was held in June saw the bench temporarily removed due to administrative issues, but is now back at the beach close to the Venice/Santa Monica border and across from the Adda & Paul Safran senior housing facility.
Private funding paid for the bench through the efforts of Jeffrey’s wife and widow, Fran Solomon who is a longtime advocate of Venice Beach and Oceanfront Walk.
She was recently appointed as a member of the Venice Neighborhood Council.
An active member of the Venice Chamber of Commerce, Solomon owned a tour guide business and was a regular at the beach where he resided with his wife for decades.
Born in Westchester in 1943, Solomon attended Westchester High School and Upland College on a basketball scholarship. In 1963, having been seen by a local scout, he was summoned by the Lakers coach Freddy Schaus to the LA Sports Arena, the Lakers home facility, for a private tryout.
Solomon passed earlier this year.
The bench plaque inscribed Solomon as someone who “shared his love of Venice with friends, family, visitors and the community.”Nick Antonicello is a thirty-one year resident of the neighborhood who covers all things Venice. Have a take or a tip? E-mail him at nantoni@mindspring.com
