Albert Michael Churilla, Jr.

Albert Michael Churilla Jr., 86, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Heartis Assisted Living in Venice, Florida, after a long and courageous battle with brain cancer.

Al was born on May 22, 1939, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Albert M. Churilla Sr. and Helen (Smetana) Churilla. The eldest of four sons, he was raised in Manchester, Connecticut.

He attended the University of Bridgeport on a soccer scholarship and had the distinction of playing in the first NCAA Division I Soccer National Championship game in 1959.

Al enjoyed a long and successful career in the furniture industry. Over the years, he served as a marketing representative, Regional Sales Manager, and National Director of Retail Store Operations for Ethan Allen. He later became the owner of two Ethan Allen Galleries in Providence, Rhode Island, and concluded his career with La-Z-Boy as a manufacturer’s representative for the Connecticut and Massachusetts territories.

In 2004, Al and his wife Sherry moved to Florida, settling in the Venetian Golf and River Club community in Venice. A talented and creative individual, Al had a lifelong passion for photography. He served as past President of the Photographic Society of Rhode Island and as Vice President and board member of the New England Camera Club Council (NECCC). Throughout his photography career, he earned hundreds of awards and held numerous one-man shows across New England.

Al also contributed his expertise as a judge for the Florida Camera Club Council and the Lakewood Ranch Camera Club. Generous with his time, he often served as the Venetian community photographer, capturing local events, and became the official photographer for the Venetian Golf and River Club directory.

He loved to travel and explored much of the world, creating beautiful keepsake books of his photography from the places he visited.

A longtime member of the Venetian Golf Club, Al enjoyed many rounds of golf with friends. He was also an enthusiastic participant in the Sarasota Model Yacht Club, a radio-controlled boating club. A devoted member of Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, he was a man of deep faith and strong community spirit.

A lifelong sports fan, Al especially enjoyed following the University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball team—Go Huskies! His greatest joy, however, came from his family, particularly watching his granddaughter Abigail’s accomplishments as an opera singer and performer.

Al’s warm personality, kind heart, and genuine interest in others earned him the respect and friendship of many throughout his life. He maintained close bonds with friends from his high school and college years—relationships that endured for decades.

Al is survived by his beloved wife, Sherry; his daughter Tracy and her husband Robert Bodvake of Norfolk, Virginia; and their daughter Abigail. He is also survived by his brother Michael and wife Juanita of Venice; his sister-in-law Barbara Churilla of South Carolina; his nephew Michael Churilla Jr. and wife Leslie; his niece Amy (Sean) McKay; and his great-nieces and nephews Henry and Vincent Churilla, and Shaelyn and Chase McKay, as well as many cousins and dear friends.

He was predeceased by his high school sweetheart and first wife, Frances Sweet Churilla. Al and Fran were blessed with two daughters, Terri and Tracy. Tragically, Terri died at the age of 19 in a skiing accident in 1986, and Fran passed away in 2003. He was also predeceased by his brothers Kenneth (2012) and David Churilla (2025).

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 65 Third St., East Greenwich, RI. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, East Greenwich, RI. Calling hours: Monday, May 11, 2026 will be held from 6-8 pm at the Urquhart Murphy Funeral Home, 800 Greenwich Ave., Warwick, RI UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE HILL – SKEFFINGTON FUNERAL HOME OF EAST GREENWICH, RI.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online (www.stjude.org). Farley Funeral Home in Venice, Florida is handling the arrangements. To send a condolence of memory of Albert please visit www.farleyfuneralhome.com.