John Allison Fennell

He was attended in his passing by his son, John, his daughter, Djina, and Nancy Velsor. Al was born in Tarrant City, Alabama on September 17, 1928, to John Allison, Sr. and Annie Laurie Irving Fennell. God gave Al a remarkable singing voice, and during his teenage years he sang bass in a barbershop quartet. At Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, he won membership in the Warblers Club, an auditioned choral group for boys. Soon, he began thinking about a career in music. While attending Birmingham Southern College, Al sang at the Alabama Theater, accompanied by organist Stanley Malotte.

In 1949 Al transferred to the University of Miami, which had awarded him a full scholarship to study music and voice. He performed in many musical shows on Miami Beach and was a soloist with the symphony orchestras of both Miami and Miami Beach, serving under conductors Howard Barlow, Paul Whiteman, and Major Robert Crawford, composer of "The U.S. Air Force Song." Headed for a career on Broadway, Al discovered that God had bigger plans for his life, and the young singer was called into the music ministry.

While studying at the University of Miami, Al met Lee M. Garaventa, who became the love of his life. They married in 1954 when Al was enlisted in the Air Force. He was soon stationed in French Morocco for a year but spent the remainder of his tour of duty stationed in Lake Charles, Louisiana, happily united with Lee. After that term of duty, Al and Lee moved back to Miami, where he became Minister of Music at Wayside Baptist Church in 1960.

In 1963 Al received a call from the First Baptist Church of Pompano Beach, where he would serve as Minister of Music until his retirement, thirty years later. His ministry in Pompano Beach became legendary. He developed a massive choir program that ranged from graded choirs for children all the way to senior adults. He conducted the Sanctuary Choir for worship and led a comprehensive church music program. Countless teenagers and young adults learned both music and biblical truth through his leadership of choirs and ensembles like the New Life Singers, a Triple Trio of girl voices, and L'Abri. He directed the singing Laymen and his church music program also included an orchestra and handbell choirs. He was known for bringing in clinicians to work with his choirs, including Derric Johnson, creator of the Voices of Liberty and Candlelight at Walt Disney World's EPCOT. Special Easter and patriotic programs and the singing Christmas Tree were well known dimensions of Al's ministry in Pompano Beach, but his influence reached far beyond.

Al recorded four sacred solo albums and two choral albums with his youth choir. His focus was always on Jesus Christ, as he combined musical excellence with a singular focus on honoring the Savior. His great desire was to see people come to saving faith in Christ. Al deeply loved the members of his congregation, and he was always available to meet their needs at any time of the day or night. He spent many hours visiting the sick in the hospitals and in their homes, comforting them and praying with them.

Al was unwaveringly supported in ministry by his wife, Lee, and their faithful marriage and life of ministry together spanned 47 years. God blessed them with two children, Djina and John, and they were loving parents who taught their children the way to salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Together, they were a beautiful example of what Christ intended marriage to be. When Lee battled cancer on two different occasions, Al was constantly by her side, caring for her, supporting her, encouraging her, praying for her, and reading Scripture to her, providing yet another testimony of his deep devotion to his beloved wife and to their gracious Lord.

As a grandfather, Al was so proud of his five grandchildren. He was very involved in each of their lives and looked forward to every minute spent with them. He taught his grandsons to fish and especially loved enjoying the catch with a fish fry for the family. He loved cooking and working puzzles with his granddaughter. He spoke to his grandchildren of spiritual things and encouraged them to love the Lord with all their hearts, to seek Him above everything, and to follow His leadership in their lives.

Al was known for his unselfish kindness and his devotion to the Lord. He modeled the love or our heavenly Father by the outpouring of love he showered on family and friends. The impact of his ministry and his life continues in the lives of all who knew him. Now, Al is in the presence of the Lord and Savior he so faithfully served and about whom he so powerfully sang.

Al Fennell was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Lee, and his sister, Mary. Survivors include his daughter Djina (Joseph Sterling), and his son, John, (Pamela Grammer), as well as grandsons Joseph III and Joshua Sterling, John III and Cody Fennell, and granddaughter Annie Laurie Sterling. He is also survived by one niece and one nephew, and by adopted family Nancy and Ken Velsor.

A funeral service honoring Al will be held on Friday, May 26, 2023, 1:00 p.m at First Baptist Church in Pompano Beach.

His delight is in the law of the Lord, and he meditates on his law day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither, Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:2-3