In Loving Memory of Carol Tantau

Carol Tantau

June 6, 1945 – December 28, 2023

Last Thursday, Venice lost a true community gem. In the quiet hours between December 27th and the early morning of December 28th, Carol Tantau passed away peacefully in her sleep. The community is grappling with the news of losing an admired and respected leader.

Carol devoted her life to community service. Over the course of more than 30 years, she owned and operated a jewelry store on Abbot Kinney. During this time, she served on the Venice Chamber of Commerce board of directors, including several years as president, and later, for over two decades, as treasurer. Even after relocating her store to West Adams, Carol remained devoted to Venice, continuing her service as Treasurer on the Chamber board.

Throughout the years, Carol actively participated in various Abbot Kinney committees, contributing to initiatives such as renaming the street from West Washington Boulevard to Abbot Kinney Boulevard, planting palm trees, and paving the parking lots along Irving Tabor Court. Her community involvement extended to advisory boards for the City of Los Angeles, including the Community Policing Advisory Board. In her “day job,” she tirelessly served others, working at Sojourn as an advocate for victims of domestic violence and as a volunteer coordinator.

Donna Lasman, CEO of the Venice Chamber of Commerce, expressed, “The Venice community has suffered a tremendous loss. Carol was a calming presence, a voice of reason. She was my anchor, guiding me through complex situations. Carol was an incredible and talented woman, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of many. She will be greatly missed.”

A Message from her Family:

Carol was the youngest of four born to Hart and Mary Tantau. She attended schools in Cupertino and Palo Alto completing her secondary education at Verde Valley School in Arizona. At UC Berkeley she earned a BA in music and became an accomplished pianist. In 1971, she moved to Southern California where she developed her artistic skills as a seamstress and jewelry designer. As her expertise grew so did her business acumen, and in 1982, she opened a combo workshop and storefront on West Washington Boulevard in Venice. This move marked the beginning of a 30-year period during which she flourished as a community force.

With her keen interest and active involvement in neighborhood development, Carol became a community builder, a fierce advocate, a creative genius, a change-maker, and a friend to many. Her advocacy for victims of domestic violence (DV) led her to working for and with Sojourn in facilitating support groups for DV victims. As times changed, so did her path and Carol relocated her shop and store to West Adams where she continued her creativity and lifelong advocacy for the disadvantaged.

Her mantra was simple yet powerful: “Speak softly and carry a big stick!”

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