Photo was taken from a shot with Darryl Dufay and Richard Myers at the Venice sign lighting on Windward, January 16, 2006. (Photo courtesy of Darryl Dufay.)
Phil Raider (January 25, 1948 thru June 2, 2014) long-time Venice resident and activist passed away Monday and was buried Tuesday. He is survived by his wife Roberta and his two daughters, Shannon and Jennifer Karan.
Phil served as secretary of the Venice Neighborhood Council in 2005-6, and was on the Land Use and Planning Committee where he served as secretary, 2003-4.
Councilman Mike Bonin adjourned the City Council meeting Tuesday in honor of Phil. Linda Lucks, president of Venice Neighborhood Council, said she will dedicate the board meeting on 17 June in his memory before the swearing in of the new board.
His 2005 candidate statement for VNC secretary, provided by Darryl Dufay, was as follows:
As a Venetian for almost 25 years, I know we are now at a critical time in the struggle to keep Venice, Venice. I’ve seen a lot of change. I still love where I live.
While change is inevitable, I am passionate about ensuring that the unique character of Venice, its sense of community that tolerates diverse personal expression while fostering creativity, is protected. I’m committed to working diligently to create and sustain a robust, democratic, representative Neighborhood Council.I have been a community advocate since moving to the Oakwood neighborhood in 1986. As past President and Chairman of two Oakwood Neighborhood Associations I have continually worked to preserve and enhance our vibrant and diverse community. I am a board member at Mishkon Tephilo Synagogue in Venice and serve on several committees there. I’m happily married with two grown daughters. Currently a self employed remodeling contractor, I have experience in both large and small organizations.
As Secretary of The GRVNC Land Use & Planning Committee in 2003-4, I demonstrated my ability to accurately record and disseminate meeting minutes in a timely manner. Then, as now, I was dedicated to preserving what make Venice a truly exceptional and cherished place.
“Phil was Mr. Activist,” said Reta Moser. “He was always present at every questionable planning endeavor a developer devised for Venice. He was well prepared and he would present the facts and then invariably have a funny quip to go with it at the end. Wish I could remember at least one. I will always remember his pony-tail and that he wore shorts to all the meetings. There was a meeting at Christmas time, and it was cold, but Phil wore shorts.
“Darryl Dufay jokingly said he wore a plastic steak around his neck once to demonstrate that he was a stakeholder.
“Last I saw him was at the 26 April outreach at 320 Sunset. I pointed to his long pants and jokingly said ‘it must be something to bring you out.’ He just shook his head disapprovingly about the project. He suddenly stopped thinking of the project, smiled, gave me a big hug and a kiss. Then he turned and was gone.”
All his friends are welcome to make comments. They will be printed in next email Update. This article is also on the web at triangleupdate.com where replies/comments can be inputted after the article.
Remembrances from Rick Feibusch:
After moving to Venice from San Francisco in the early-1990s, Carolyn and I started to get involved with the neighborhoods on both sides of Rose Avenue. Our goal was to work with neighbors to clean up the area and bring it to the same level as the rest of Venice. We took our pickups and shovels to the alleys in Oakwood and painted out grafitti… We got together at meetings with Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, her staff, and community boards on everything from development issues to the Boardwalk renovation… Venice was changing and we were going to play a part…
It was in this environment that we met Phil and Roberta Raider. Phil had that rare quality of being equal parts of scholar, artist, and blue-collar builder that served him well in many aspects of his life. We became fast friends at meetings, often sitting close enough to exchange wise cracks and shared jeering… Over time, our area issues changed but we always supported one another because our goal was a clean and safe Venice.
Phil came right along when Tisha Bedrosian put together the first Venice Neighborhood Council and served on the first Land Use Committee. I remember accompanying Phil to projects with a tape measure “just to make sure some of the numbers were correct.” He was that sort of guy. We watched the Raider house turn from a long time, in-process, art project, to the cutest place on the corner…
When Steve Freedman called this morning I was at a loss because we have lost so many of the people who spent a lot of time and effort to make Venice a better place. While they won’t be casting statues, to those of us who were there, Phil will always be remembered for his part…
And I hope that he never has to go to another municipal meeting for all of eternity… My condolences to Roberta and the family…
Inputted for Linda Lucks
Linda Lucks
I also attended the service for Phil Raider too and was moved by the outpouring of love expressed at service. I saw Venetians there in additions to those named by Arnold Springer: Steve Freedman, Sue Kaplan, Steve Clare, and I am sure others. The sanctuary at Mishkon Tephilo, a 100-year-old Venice synagogue, is very large and it was filled with mourners, a tribute to the man who passed away before his time. Phil’s wife Roberta Tishman was surrounded by Phil’s two daughters, their husbands and his grandson Lev. Phil’s three older brothers spoke about their childhood in Cleveland and told emotional stories about Phil, who exhibited the feisty personality that was his lovable trademark. Phil was one of a kind, an original, a Venetian to the core and a mensch. We first worked together rehabilitating the Neighborhood Youth Association’s Las Doradas Children’s Center in the early 1990’s. In politics, we were sometimes adversaries but always friends. My heart goes out to his family who will miss him dearly as will we. The VNC board meeting on Tuesday, June 17 will be dedicated to Phil’s memory and it is fitting that the new board will be seated that same night.
Rest in Peace Phil Raider.
Inputted for Yolanda Gonzalez
Yolanda Gonzalez
It is always so hard to write about a person who worked close to you. And so loved by so many of us. As Past Vice President of the VNC I would ask Phil if he would attend a function with us but he always specified the days he was available for VNC business and the other days he was really dedicated to his family and his Temple. Not to many man like this around today. Those were sacred times for him. And he really meant it. Could not even persuade him with a free drink. But I finally did get him once, of course together with his wife. Once he got to know some of us and we got to know him he was the funniest and a No nonsense of a guy. He told it as it was and HOW it will be. A perfectionist at his work.
Phil, to you our friend, I am sorry I was told to late of your departure, but in my heart you will remain and my tears are rolling down as I write this” Hasta la vista. ” Mi amigo.
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Inputted for Laura Silagi
Laura Silagi
Thank you for publishing all these stories of Phil, and for the wonderful photo of him. Phil was a great guy. He was funny and smart. He also told me of his recipe for poached eggs. Here is my memory of it, with the help of Alton Brown:
Poaching one egg
Heat enough water to come up about an 1 inch in a small saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoon white vinegar. Turn heat to a simmer Most important, swirl the water with a spoon in one direction so that it is smoothly spinning. Crack an egg into a small bowl and gently slip the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Let it poach without the flame for 5 minutes. Lift out the egg with a slotted spoon and serve, or move to ice bath and refrigerate up to 8 hours. Reheat and serve.
Inputted for DeDe Audet
DeDe Audet
It is hard for me to express myself about Phil Raider because I feel the loss so keenly. He was a beacon to me. When I was wrong he set me straight. Here is the way I will remember him:
When a meeting in Venice was lucky enough to have Phil Raider advising, things went well. Our community benefited with his good advice, his total commitment to freedom of all. He represented the good of Venice in religion, government, and daily life.
Inputted for Darryl Dufay
Darryl Dufay
When I heard of Phil’s passing I was immediately sadden. Yet, that sadness was just as quickly replaced by a smile on my face. A smile of the joy that I remember Phil brought to wherever he was. His friends, whom I know, talked about the committees and organizations that we were all part of. I still see and hear him with that extraordinary wry humor he possessed. If you wanted to survive the tenuous meeting, sit next to Phil. You were carried through by his hilarious and insightful comments. In the years I knew him his devotion and involvement to his Jewish faith grew and grew. He was a special person, articulate, intelligent, and engaging. For me he is not gone because I have such wonderful memories. Thank you Phil!.
Inputted for Georgann Abraham
Georgann Abraham
Chris and I are so saddened to hear of Phil’s passing. Chris noted that there may have been periods of time when we were not in contact but there were so many ways our paths ended up crossing. We first knew him through a running group out of The Starting Line store on Washington Blvd – gheez about 30 years ago. When he did the NYC marathon, I was visiting friends in New York. I cheered at the finish line. He inspired me to do the same at a couple of years later.
Years later we all ended up participating in the VNC. He then helped us with some repairs in both our previous and current homes. He made some suggestions for some of the remodeling we did that we always attribute to Phil.
He was so smart and so funny. We will always remember his quick wit and the twinkle in his eyes. Our hearts go out to Roberta and his family.
Inputted for Challis Macpherson
Challis Macpherson
He was on my LUPC committee and I worked with him on VNC Board. He always cut through the “drek und angst” that some tried to bring into either committee or board meeting and sent the miscreants on their way out. Loved the man.
Inputted for Arnold Springer
Arnold Springer
To Milwood and Triangle Neighbors:
Jed Pauker from VNC told me by E mail several days ago that Phil Raider had
passed. The services and memorial for Phil Raider were held at Temple
Mishkon Tephilo on June 3, at 11am.
I attended the services and the memorial. I am grateful to Jed for letting
me know.
I saw Steve Friedman and Melanie Murez.. I saw VNC President and Mrs.
Newhouse. Jed Pauker was there as was Martha Avery.
Rabbi Shevitz of Crescent Place said the prayers and said that Phil was so
very active in community here in Venice.
Phil was a great guy. A mensch. More then just a mensch, a Mensch, if you
get what I mean.
To me ‘mensch’ means …A real human being;. I guess Mensch with a ‘capital
M’ means that’s really, really true! But of course, I am being presumptuous
here so please forgive me. Who knows what is real!
I liked Phil Raider a lot. I worked with him briefly on the Venice
Neighborhood Council, when I got early on my first ‘appointment’ to the
LUPC. The VNC had been created after the failure and rejection of the Grass
Roots Venice Neighborhood Council that I myself had stayed away from.
Phil tried to set the new VNC and its LUPC on the proper path or trajectory.
He was successful. The ‘Mensh’ set them straight.
Mensch means: good person, honest person, decent person, engaged person,
community active person. Intelligent, fair, balanced, just, and decent — a good interlocutor for community.
Apparently Phil was all of those in spades, not just in the ‘political
arena’, but also in the spiritual arena, at the historic Jewish Temple on
Main Street in Ocean-Park – Venice, California. I would be surprised if
there weren’t other social and spher-ic interventions as well.
Thanks Phil— God Speed to you.
You will live in Nirvana with the other Menschen.Join in Inputted for Arnold Springer.
Inputted for Eileen Pollack Erickson
While I was aware Phil had been ill, my reaction to seeing this news was still “OH NO!!!” Phil’s passing is a huge loss to the community. He was smart, funny, irreverent, kind, and will be so missed! To Roberta and your daughters, my heart goes out to you. Through your grieving, I know you will also have so much gratitude for the many great years you had together with this lovely man.
Inputted for Rick Feibusch
Rick Feibusch
Years ago, Phil asked me if I would like to check out the scene at Mishkon Tephilo Synagogue. I told him that I had not spent much time at a temple since my Bar Mitzvah in 1961….. and that I really was not into organized religion. He quickly answered, “Great, we are the most disorganized shule in Southern California…”
Inputted for Chris Williams
Chris Williams
I Met Phil many years ago when various Venice neighborhoods would come together for community clean-ups. We would walk down alleys loading abandoned items such as couches, mattresses, weeds and general junk into Carol Tantau’s small red pickup sometimes stacked several feet higher than the cab to meet a city garbage truck that could not negotiate the alleys.
Phil was an involved caring member of the community always striving to make it a better, safer place. Sometimes that put him in danger like the fire that was set to his home at one point. Phil was one of the early supporters of the Neighborhood Council program. He worked tirelessly with organizers Tisha and Chris Bedrosian, Rick Feibusch, Darryl Dufay, Carolyn Ward, and many others to try and bring open, forthright neighborhood representation in the Council office.
I had the honor to serve with him as a Boardmember and as a member of the first Land Use and Planning Committee (LUPC). While on LUPC I learned about Phil’s involvement in earlier community projects including a pivotal role in the Venice Land Use Plan in the Eighties and early Nineties known as the Venice Specific Plan. Phil’s knowledge of the VSP was so welcome when we as LUPC members tried to sort out the zealous hyperbola from the facts of the various factions competing for their ‘vision’ of Venice.
Always fair and candid, Phil could cut through the smoke and find the kernel of truth. He valued core truths over political ideologies at all times and therefore was able to work with all the people of Venice. I truly enjoyed working with him and always found I would learn something new whenever we conversed. I will miss him. Venice has lost one of its unsung heroes.