IN MEMORIAM: Fannie A. Navarra, 100;
Operated Beauty Shop In Cooperstown
COOPERSTOWN – Fannie A. Navarra, 100, who ran a Main Street beauty parlor and barbershop with her husband, died peacefully Friday Oct. 30, 2015.
Born Aug. 14, 1915 in Brooklyn, Fannie was the fourth of four children of Salvatore and Ninfa (Dippa) Stallone, who had immigrated to America in 1905. She grew up in Brooklyn where her father was a barber and enjoyed summers at the family cottage near Rockaway Beach.
On Nov. 3, 1940 she married Charlie Navarra. They lived in Brooklyn until 1945 when, because Charlie missed upstate (he had been born and raised until the age of twelve in Auburn), they moved to Cooperstown. Together, as a beautician and barber, they operated their businesses for decades in the Village. They first purchased and ran their shops in a Main Street building adjacent to the Cooperstown Dry Cleaning block, which burned in November 1958, also destroying their building. This is the present location of the Cooperstown General Store. Charlie and Fannie subsequently purchased 160 Main Street and worked and lived there.
Fannie will be remembered as unfailingly positive, she never had a negative thing to say about anything or anyone and she never raised her voice. She loved Charlie, the Village, its people, her friends and “extended family”, animals (especially her cats) unconditionally. Indeed after moving to the Thanksgiving Home in 2000 it was Fannie who gladly undertook the job of caring for and feeding of the Home’s therapy kitty. Fannie was also particularly proud to have been accepted as a Cooperstown Native Daughter in the 1990s’.
She is survived by three nieces and two nephews, and by her god-daughter, Veronica Gil Seaver, and by the members of Veronica’s family.
Fannie was predeceased by Charlie in 1996 and by all of her siblings.
A graveside memorial service will be held Saturday, November 7, at 1 p.m. at Lakewood Cemetery, where she will be buried next to her beloved Charlie.
In lieu of flowers it is suggested that those who so desire make contributions in Fannie’s memory to the Capital Fund at the Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home, 48 Grove Street, Cooperstown.
Arrangements are entrusted to Tillapaugh Funeral Service, Cooperstown.
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