Al Venable, who became the first black mayor elected in DeKalb County, was a mild-mannered man with impeccable character and a big heart, willing to give a helping hand.
“He was one of the unsung heroes of the civil rights movement,” said his pastor and friend James Ward.
A Lithonia native, Venable attended Bruce Street School. He enlisted with The United States Marine Corps in 1956 and served three years, traveling to several countries. Upon returning from duty, he was employed by Lithonia Lighting where he worked for over 40 years.
While working for Lithonia Lighting he was encouraged to enter the political arena, and he was elected as a city council member in Lithonia in 1972.
Venable’s son Kimothy Venable remembers one of the sparks that got his father into politics: “In the mid to late 1960s, there was a police officer beating up someone we knew. We said to him ‘daddy do something’ but at the time daddy really couldn’t do anything.” Venable’s son said, “Lucious Sanders (a local civil rights activist) also really motivated him to get involved.”
Venable was president of the Lithonia City League, a group of concerned citizens. In 1984, he was elected in Lithonia as the first African-American mayor in Dekalb County.
“He really didn’t want recognition, he just wanted to work,” said Ward. “They don’t come any better than Deacon Venable.”
Allison Edward Venable of Lithonia died Monday of natural causes. He was 75. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church, 2152 Rock Chapel Road, Lithonia.
“He was willing to stand up and represent the community when asked to,” said current Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson. “He continued to be concerned with the community.”
Jackson remembers the influence Venable had on her: “He was willing to share his advice and counsel,” she said.
A lover of music, Venable played the trombone in his early years, sang in the church choir and was a member of The Gospel Harmonizers, a group he organized.
Ward remembers when Venable ran for mayor and received threatening phone calls: “He was very brave,” said Ward. “But he was a bridge builder who pulled people together.”
People frequently came to Venable for advice. A giver, he gave away food from his garden and was always willing to give a helping hand.
What was most important “was the love he showed us,” said his son.
In addition to his son Kimothy, Venable is survived by his wife Diana Williams, sons Kevin Venable and Allison Venable Jr., and a brother, Pastor Walter Glenn Tolbert Sr. of Stockbridge.
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