Alfred Vail

Alfred L. Vail NORFOLK - Alfred Loring Vail, beloved husband, father and grandfather and passionate disciple of Jesus Christ went to be with the Lord Dec. 11, 2008. Al was born March 14, 1931, and raised in Cornwall, N.Y., the only child of Blanche and Roger Vail. He counted among the gifts of his youth a loving and supportive family, a solid education, multiple opportunities as an athlete and, most importantly, his introduction to, and acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Savior. His commitment to Christ was his life's foundation. He was a student and teacher of the Bible throughout his life, beginning with his days as a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy (55) and onward as a U.S. Marine. He served for 20 years including two tours in Vietnam during the war. Upon assignment in Norfolk, he joined Tabernacle Church of Norfolk where he taught Adult Sunday school for more than three decades. He served as deacon and elder and mentored many young leaders and teachers. He also earned post-graduate degrees from George Washington University and Old Dominion University. Upon retirement from the military, he worked as a financial advisor and portfolio manager and donated his services to Norfolk Christian Schools. Although Alzheimer's disease took his life cruelly and slowly, his family rejoices that he is whole again, believing in the promise of Jesus Christ. Al is survived by his devoted wife and constant companion, Rhoda Leigh Sherrill Vail; his daughters and their husbands, Virginia and Stephen Kolb, Elizabeth and John Crosby, Rebecca and James Savastio and Cathy and Russell Britt; his stepchildren and their spouses, Leigh and Peter Abiouness, Jay Sherrill and Calvin and Kandace Sherrill; and 19 grandchildren to whom he was unfailingly generous and of whom he was enormously proud. Preceding him in death in 1978 was his first wife and the mother of his daughters, Marjorie Igo Vail and two grandsons, James Savastio and Henry Britt. A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Spurgeon Memorial Baptist Church. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Lloyd Cemetery in Highland, N.Y. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at Smith & Williams Funeral Home, Norview Chapel. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital for their care of Al these past three years. In lieu of flowers, donations in Al's memory may be made to Reach Ministries International, P.O. Box 2060, Orange, CA 92859, www.reachmin.com. or the Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601-7633, www.alz.org. You may visit Al's memorial and send tributes to the family at www.mem.com.