Albert 'Al' Fenn, 86; WWII Marine Veteran, Shoe Designer

From Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home.

Albert "Al" H. Fenn, a longtime Greenwich resident and World War II US Marine Corp Veteran, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013 at Edge Hill in Stamford. He is 86.
 
Born in Bronx, NY, July 9, 1927, to the late Albert A. and Julia Weiting Fenn, Mr. Fenn, a devoted family man, enjoyed a long career designing and marketing shoes in the fashion industry.

He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Ruth Tansey Fenn, his son Mark Fenn and his wife, Marie Rizzo of Amelia Island, FL; his daughter Carey Fenn Moses and her husband, Michael of Alexandria, VA; his son Michael Regan Fenn, of Riverside; his brother Richard A. Fenn of New York City; as well as grandchildren Ruslan and Tatiana Moses; great grandchildren Selena and Jackson Girardo, and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Roger and sister-in-law Sandra Smolka Fenn.

Mr. Fenn graduated from the Bronx High School of Science during which he served with pride and distinction in the Cavalry Brigade reaching the rank of First Sergeant. Mr. Fenn enlisted in the US Marine Corps on July 7, 1945 just a few days before his 18th birthday, earning a sharpshooter qualification badge. Stationed in Washington, D.C. and set to go to the Pacific Theater, his orders changed when the US over took the Japanese. After his return to civilian life, he honed his artist skills at the Art Students League of New York where he met his wife Ruth, also an artist and recent graduate of the Parsons School of Design. They were married in New York City in January 1952. 

Over the decades, Mr. Fenn's career took his family to live in Chicago, New York City, Florence, Italy, and Paris, France. Returning state-side in July of 1970, they settled in the Riverside area of Greenwich, where they remained for four decades. Retaining their love of travel and their keen interest in people, music and art took them on several pleasant adventures across the US and to numerous countries in Europe and Asia.

Mr. Fenn retired in 1993 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing from the Sterling Last Corp, of Long Island City, NY. 

While Mr. Fenn's career focused on designing and marketing women's shoes, he also was a passionate painter with a diverse palette. However, his waterfront scenes of Greenwich harbor were among his favorites projects.

He was a long-time race car enthusiast, an avid reader, lover of music and enjoyed good wine and food. Mr. Fenn was a long-time member of the Retired Men's Association of Greenwich, a Red Cross Volunteer driver; and a volunteer at the Greenwich Book Recycling. 

Friends and family will gather to celebrate Mr. Fenn's life at a Mass of Christian Burial at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11, St. Catherine of Siena Church, 4 Riverside Ave., Riverside, and at a reception following the church service. Interment will take place at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, NY, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, where Mr. Fenn will be buried with military honors. 

Memorial donations may be made to the Bruce Museum, the Greenwich Symphony and other charities of choice.

To leave an online condolence, please visit www.leopgallaghergreenwich.com