Albert "Al" Fournier

FOURNIER Albert "Al" Fournier, local restaurateur and sailing figure, died on Tuesday, October 14, 2003, following a brief illness. Fournier, owner of Milfordos El Torero Restaurant for 33 years, was known for his love of the sea and had a long and successful competitive sailing career. Born in Amesbury, Mass., on June 21, 1935, Fournier, a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, came to Connecticut in 1966 to work as a physicist at the CBS Laboratories in Stamford. Shortly thereafter, he changed career paths and joined a partnership in Westportos original Viva Zapata Restaurant. In 1970, Fournier ventured out on his own and founded El Torero Restaurant, still located on the Post Road in Milford. Fournieros ocean adventures included two single-handed transatlantic passages, one in the 1984 Observer Single-Handed Transatlantic Race aboard his converted Etchellos 22 "El Torero," and one in 1986 aboard "Airco Distributor." For that journey, he received the prestigious USYRU Seamanship Award. He was a veteran of six Bermuda I-2 Races, in three of which he earned first place honors, setting a world record in 1985 for fastest passage of a vessel 35-feet between Newport and Bermuda. At the same time, he participated in five Bermuda Races, serving as navigator aboard "Light Fantastic." In 1992, along with his wife, Lisa, he began his "journey of a lifetime," embarking on a nine-year circumnavigation aboard the coupleos sloop "Sannyasi," which took them to 52 countries and 39,000 miles around the world. He and his wife received the Cruising Club of Americaos Circumnavigation Award in 2001. Mr. Fournier was a longtime member of the Milford Yacht Club, where he served on the board of directors, and was part of the Etchellos Sailing Fleet. He was also a member of the Lions Club and the Cruising Club of America. Mr. Fournier is survived by his wife, Lisa Cabrera Fournier of Fairfield; his three children, Roger Fournier of San Diego, Denise Fournier Zako of Norwalk, and Alix Fournier of Fullerton, Calif.; two sisters, Jacqueline Prizer of Londonderry, N.H., and Theresa Buckley of South Berwick, Maine; a brother, John Fournier of New Hampshire; a son-in-law, Matt Zako; a grandson, Zachary Zako, both of Norwalk; many dear friends as well as a host of loving and loyal employees, both past and present. Family and friends will be gathering for memories and farewells at the Smith Funeral Home, 135 Broad Street, Milford, at a wake on Friday, October 17, 2003, from 4 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ocean Conservancy or UNICEF.