Albert Walter Vander Velde

Albert Walter Vander Velde – The Man, not a myth, but a Real American Legend, having convinced himself that the world was going to hell in handbasket based on news reports and the current temperature in Texas, decided to go the opposite direction (while on vacation with family in Missouri) to follow Jesus to rest high upon the mountain on August 17th, 2025. And, in good “Big Al” night owl fashion and loving a good party, made sure he left with lots of lights and sirens blaring surrounded by all his loved ones paying sole attention to him during the “Big Bang Departure” at 1:03 A.M. in Kansas City! (The irony in the location of his passing is our dad gave up on his Dallas Cowboys long ago and was a big Chiefs #15 fan!)

Albert, A.K.A. Big Al, had many other nicknames as well including Al, Fred, Dad, Daddio, Papa, Pops, The Great One (when he became a great grand Papa) and most recently revealed name of “Road Dog” (Dad, Road Dog? You really have some splainin to do).

Born June 4th, 1942, in Brooklyn, NY, Al immediately started talking shortly after taking his first breath and never stopped for the next 83 years. He was raised by his adoring parents Albert and Charlotte and was also loved by many wonderful grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins whom he treasured and loved to reminisce about along with all things New York and his summer memories spent in Seabright, New Jersey.

Al was the life of every party by his own self-appointed role as The Center of Attention; he loved the camara and the microphone and he was the king of puns! He was the kind of man who could turn the most simple or trivial moment into an unforgettable story by adding his own twist to it with colorful words and with arm gestures and lots of motion like the good expressive and cultured New Yorker that he was. Always ready with a joke, a cheeky grin, or a story that might be slightly exaggerated or not appropriate for the church social, he had a way of drawing people in (usually by grabbing their arm or shoulder when he was standing right next to them, not understanding peoples need of a personal bubble) always to make sure that people were taking part in his fantastic adventures he was retelling. Friends and family will remember him as a mischief maker at heart and someone who never let a room grow too quiet. Life with him was always louder and a whole lot funnier.

Al served in the 44th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Engineer group in the US Army in Korea. His legacy will be orphanages he helped construct like Sung Sim Children's home in the City of Inchon for the children he fell in love with who adored him back. In recognition of his distinguished merit for social work in Korea, he received a key to a couple cities and various letters of appreciation from government officials.

Al made his way back to the United States and while stationed at Ft. Benning in Columbus, Georgia, he met the love of his life, his Alabama Beauty, his Southern Belle, Miss Faye Wilson, and on April 7th, 1964, he married her in his home state of New York. They have spent the last 61 years together loving each other fiercely and annoying each other effectively during this same time space continuum. Their blessed union brought them the next three loves of Al’s life; his favorite daughter Kelley, his favorite daughter Donna and his favorite daughter Jill and multitudes of adopted sons and daughters he met over the years via his daughters friendships, and the bonus loves of his life, his grands and his great grands that brought him so much joy!

Al was a life-long patriot; he loved the American Flag, the US Constitution and the rights guaranteed by it, his country; he thought living in the USA was the greatest privilege in the world. He was a life-long member of the Republican Party and a card-carrying Platinum level American Express member since 1968; both of which he took great pride in disclosing. He was successful with a 45-year career in Sales for numerous American Corporations, and the owner of two successful businesses; Al and Faye's Grocery in Kellyton, Alabama and Mountain Brokers in Ellijay, Georgia. He also loved being a volunteer fireman as he followed in his own father's footsteps. Al was known to many for his love of the ocean, deep sea fishing, swimming, and his love of seafood. He loved to take camping trips and road trip vacations with the family and coaching his daughters' sports teams. He taught all three girls how to water ski and drive a boat; he loved all things about living on beautiful Lake Martin in Alabama; especially boat rides at dusk with his family. Beyond cooking homemade spaghetti and making Italian mamas jealous everywhere since it was the best ever on the planet, he also loved cheesecake (fah-get about it!), grocery stores (obsessed best describes it), Doo Wop Music, The Righteous Brothers (whom he knew personally and has pictures to prove it), 60’s and 70s music too, ethnic food, antique and classic cars, The Bee Gees, dancing, talking to everyone and anyone, black licorice, a good expensive scotch, Halvah and matzos (because he was Jewish), a handful of Democrats (you know who you are and you loved him too despite him) and deepening his level of “know it all-ness” watching You Tube videos to further cement his place as the smartest man there ever was. Who needed Google when he was around?! The chart-topping loves of his life beyond his family were the Crimson Tide, his beloved Alabama Football team and his best little cat appropriately named Tuscalucy or affectionately “Lucy” who loved our dad more than Friskies or fresh tuna fish.

Al was very opinionated but open to some suggestions to change his mind about things, however, these things never got a thumbs up from him - Buttermilk, Cilantro, shifty salespeople, most politicians, robo callers, AI bots, spam likely, self-checkouts at the store, being told what to do, wimps that had to ask for directions, knuckleheads and dopes that needed a good kick in the pants, long stories because he was always “making long stories short” and lastly, anyone that had a different opinion than him because Lord knows, he was always right!

Al, A.K.A Big Fish (due to his grandiose tales where the fish just got bigger and bigger every time he told the story), leaves behind his patient and faithful wife of 61 years, Faye, his daughters Kelley (Sergio), Donna (John), Jill (Ron/BASIL),his precious grands and great grands, his loving sister Joan, his wonderful Aunt Jo, many cousins, nieces, nephews, his “We love Big Al fan club" made up of many adopted friends and family near and far and a large viral following (via social media on his daughters accounts) of the wonderful people that he collected along his journey through life that made him smile with their wise crack antics in retaliation to him for one of his own jabs, celebratory greetings over the years and laughing at all of his shenanigans posted on FB. You all made our father very happy and feeling loved always! He also leaves behind a lot of collectible crap, trinkets and dust collectors as well as a ton of Alabama SEC Championship gear, various and assorted things he wanted to keep in the junk drawer because he would likely use them someday, and enough canned/boxed food from HEB Grocery store grand openings to keep our mom fed for life in case there is a hostile world takeover or Zombie Apocalypse, whichever comes first.

The biggest thing our father leaves behind (beyond a void of his effervescent energy that could light up a city block) will be his shoes. No one and I mean no one has ever been more gifted as a smart ankle, a pun maker or storyteller or fearless protector like Big Al. There was none like him and likely never will be. He was an American Original and quite gifted at captivating the room, not taking life so seriously and to make people laugh at every chance he had.

To quote our dad, you only get one shot at life! Make it legendary and make it so they never forget you. Well done daddio! We will miss you in our hearts and minds, seek you in our dreams and will wait for all the little signs that you are still with us! You lived a terrific life, and you did it your way! We love you! Tell Frank and Dino we said Hello! We will never forget to take off work on June 4th and celebrate you since that is your day - AWV National Holiday Day! Save us all a good seat with a great view of the ocean dad! Until we meet again – Happy Fishing and we hope you catch a big one!