Albert Leonard Jewell

Albert Leonard Jewell passed away on Sunday, July 30, 2023, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix with his loving family by his side. He was born on Thursday, December 3, 1953, in McNary, Arizona to David Leonard Jewell and Geannie Pearl (Penrod)Jewell.

Albert is survived by his daughters: Terri Ross (Joe Ban), Teresa Reynolds (Jason); son Teryl Jewell; 12 grandchildren: Jacob (Jeanette), Breana (David), Jennifer (Darrel), Jessica (Juanita), Blake (Olivia); Jamie, Ryan (Katie), Krista; Cameron, Madison, Emily, Nicholas; 6 great grandchildren: Christian, Denver, Jayden, James, Anastia, Rex; sisters: Cena (Deryl) Cantrell; Katie (Clyde) VanCleave; brother: Stephen Jewell; sister-in-law: Martie Jewell; 5 nieces and 5 nephews.  Albert was preceded in death by his father, David Leonard Jewell; mother, Geannie Pearl Jewell; brother David LeRoy Jewell; and one nephew.

Albert was a hard-working man who started working at a young age when he would ride his bike all around town delivering newspapers. As a teenager, he worked as a service station attendant at Riley’s Gas Station. He also worked at White Mountain Chrysler as a garage attendant. He often went out with his dad on log trucks and would work with his dad.  He learned how to drive the big logging trucks as a young boy. In 1972 he went to work at the paper mill in Snowflake working on the machines, then later moved to the storeroom as the storeroom clerk, where he worked until 2012 when he retired after the paper mill shut down.

Albert loved working on projects whether it was inside or outside. You could always find him tinkering on some sort of project he would have going, whether it was remodeling a home, finding places to pour concrete, building garages, laying brick, or working on a car or motorcycle. He once built a 1956 Ford pickup from the frame up. He loved planting plants all around his yard. Albert was an amazing carpenter who could build beautiful pieces of furniture from scraps. It didn’t matter what the project was or how difficult it could be, he would find a way to get it done and do it to perfection. As a child he would take things apart and rebuild them just to have a project to work on. He enjoyed drawing plans for homes that he would remodel and homes he helped to build and was very meticulous in his details. He would get a vision, draw it, and then build it.

Albert was a natural explorer. He loved traveling. It didn’t matter what the mode of transportation was, he was always up for an adventure. He took many motorcycle trips around the state of Arizona, Arkansas, Washington, Oregon, and many other places.  He loved his ABC road trips for his Harley club, where he would travel around and take pictures of various places using the ABCs and earned many patches from his club.  He even attempted to take a six-week trip on his motorcycle to travel from the west coast to the east coast. That trip was unsuccessful due to his motorcycle breaking down. He would always use his visitors as an excuse to take them on drives all around the white mountains to explore and provide a ton of history along the way.  Albert was a collector of many things.  He enjoyed collecting beautiful Indian artifacts, kachina dolls and lots of tools.  

Albert enjoyed listening to country music, watching football, baseball, Nascar, drag racing and riding his motorcycle. He would often ride his bike to work in the middle of winter during some big snowstorms. Many of his co-workers was sure he was crazy and would freeze to death. He would often take rides to Alpine to have lunch with his riding buddies. He loved going to bike rallies in Ruidoso.

Albert loved his family and especially enjoyed cooking and eating dinner with his mother in her later years. You could always find him at her home promptly at 6:00 p.m. eating dinner with her and reading the newspaper even if he had already read it two or three times, then watching their favorite game shows together. His favorite meal to cook was tacos. He could eat tacos like nobody’s business. Tacos were always a regular meal at least two times a week.

Albert was a kind generous man always willing to help anyone who needed help. He enjoyed teaching people new things and was very patient when teaching someone how to work on something. Albert was a soft-spoken man with a huge heart. He was a big teddy bear that earned him the nick name Al Bear.

Albert loved his family beyond words. He loved his fur babies and especially his best friend Buddy. The two were inseparable. Albert’s family always teased him that he would have to put a side car on his bike for Buddy so he could continue to do the one thing he always loved to do with his best friend. He always had a sense of humor and was a big jokester.  He could play a prank on someone and keep a straight face until he realized the gig was up.

Albert was a beloved son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend to many. Albert will be missed by more people than he would have ever imagined.  He was a fighter who showed his strength all the way until his last breath. His family is forever grateful for the love and support that has been shown by everyone in the last weeks of Albert’s life.  

Viewings will be held Friday, August 4, 2023, from 6:00-8:00pm at Owens Livingston Mortuary, 320 N. 9th St in Showlow, Arizona, and Saturday, August 5th, from 9:00-9:45am at the Showlow Downtown Chapel, 300 N. 11th St. Funeral Services will begin at 10:00 am at the same location.

Burial at Show Low Cemetery.