Ethel Narvid; Founder of Shakespeare Festival/L.A.

Ethel Narvid, one of the founders of Los Angeles’ Shakespeare Festival and an administrative assistant to Mayor Tom Bradley for 12 years, has died. She was in her early 70s.

She died of congestive heart failure Friday at St. Josephs Medical Center in Burbank.

Mrs. Narvid was involved with Los Angeles politics for more than 35 years. She was the first female deputy of any Los Angeles City Council member in the city’s history. That was in 1957, when she worked for Councilman James Corman. In 1960, she ran Corman’s successful 22nd District election campaign and became Corman’s field deputy.

She joined the Coro Foundation in San Francisco in 1968.

Mrs. Narvid became an assistant to Bradley in 1973, when he was first elected mayor and she served as his Westside coordinator. She retired in 1985.

In 1986, she helped establish the Jewish Journal. In 1987, she was the founding chairwoman of Shakespeare Festival/L.A.

Survivors include a son, Michael Narvid of Encino; a daughter, Natalie Glaser of Tarzana, and five grandchildren.

The family has requested that any memorial contributions be made to the Shakespeare Festival. A memorial service is pending.