Billie Tavitian Donovan

Billie was born April 10, 1924 at Bellevue Hospital in Bronx, NY. Nee Lillian Shushun Tavitian, she legally changed her name to Billie Tavitian in honor of legendary blues jazz singer Billie Holiday.

Billie is predeceased by her parents, Lucy (nee Lousuntahk Manoogian) and Karekin Tavitian, her husband David J. Donovan, and her sister Vehig Tavitian. She is survived by her sister Taffy Tavitian of Ormond Beach, Florida, cousins Alice Karapetian and Virginia Kalagian, several nephews and nieces, many friends, and wonderful caregivers.

Billie attended NYC schools, Bronx PS 92 and the Armenian Language School which her mother had founded. After graduation from Washington Irving High School in NYC, Billie was employed by the Norcross Greeting Card Company from 1941 to 1944 and attended the Pratt Institute of Art at night when she wasn’t playing basketball for the Norcross women’s team.

In 1944, on her twentieth birthday, she convinced her parents to let her join the United States Marines Corps in the newly established Marine Women Reserves so men could be released to combat duty.

After basic training at Camp Lejeune, NC and training in Norman, OK for aviation machinist mate, she was designated an aircraft mechanic and played drums in the Women Marines Marching Band.

She was assigned to the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in California - the largest Marine air station on the west coast and home to 1248 officers, 6381 enlisted personal and 100 Women Marines.

When the base completed Station Theatre, a 1200 seat theatre, library and lecture hall, Billie was reassigned to the Special Services Art Department. Her duties at Station Theatre included illustrating handbills and posters and painting murals for the plays, movies and USO shows held to entertain the troops.

She was honorably discharged in 1947 and received the WWII Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal. In 1950 she was recalled for the Korean conflict and was assigned to Camp Lejeune, NC where she drafted technical drawings for handbooks and manuals published by the Marine Corps. In 1951 she was discharged with the rank of Sergeant. At Camp Lejeune she met her husband, USMC Sergeant David J. Donovan. They were married for 62 years. When the conflict was over they returned to NYC. In 1957 they purchased property in New Fairfield, CT and built a weekend home in 1963.

Upon both discharges, Billie returned to Norcross and attended Columbia University. During the early days at Norcross, silk screen coloring using offset lithography was done by hand. As Norcross Art Director she had the responsibility of examining color clarity, perspective, reproducibility, and determining credibility of proportions in the artwork.

In 1974 she joined the Vera Neumann Company, a designer of bold, brightly colored prints for fine clothing, scarves, and linens. Billie served as Art Director and Print Department Coordinator of the now mechanized silk screen process. She retired in 1980 to their home in New Fairfield, CT.

They loved weekend entertaining and cooking for friends and family. Armenian tabouli (rema joouk), pilaf, and yalangi sarma made with wild grape leaves Billie picked were a few of the favorite dishes.

In 2008 they moved permanently to their winter home in Ormond Beach, FL. She was a well know local favorite for her daily rides on the beach to photograph the beach community. She was a member of the Casements Camera Club and had photographs published in the local newspaper. Billie was a supporter of the Sons of the Beach in the struggle to maintain beach driving.

Billie proudly wore her Women Marines cap on her daily beach outings and she was often chatted up and thanked for her service. On the beach she would get many salutes and loud greetings of Semper Fi and Ooh Rah. She was a member of the Marine Corps League Detachment #876 Flagler County and a lifetime member and supporter of the Women Marines Association.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Friday, January 29, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.at The Hilton Daytona Oceanfront Resort, 100 North Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach. Please use the North Tower entrance, valet parking is available. A private reception will be held following the service for family members and invited guests. Condolences may be shared online by visiting www.volusiamemorialfunerals.com

Donations may be made to the Women Marines Association or Marine Corps League Detachment 658.

Women Marines Association

PO Box 377

Oaks, PA 19457-0377

Please add Billie’s name to the memo, Billie Tavitian Donovan.

Marine Corps League Detachment 658

VFW Post 3282

5810 S. Williamson Blvd

Port Orange, FL 32128

Please add Billie’s name to the memo, Billie Donovan