Obituary of Albert J. Viel

Albert J. Viel PEABODY – Albert J. Viel, 87, beloved husband of Mary “Helen” (Soteropoulos) Viel, with whom he shared 64 years of marriage, passed away on Sunday November 8, 2015 at Beverly Hospital while surrounded by the comforting presence of his family. Al was born in Dover, NH on December 16, 1927 to Wilfred and Albina (Morin) Viel, and graduated from Dover High School, Class of 1946. On June 2, 1951 he married Helen and settled in Peabody in 1954. He was a heavy equipment operator with Wright Contracting in Peabody until 1959 when he established Viel Welding Company. For more than four decades he operated Viel Welding, overseeing both public and private contracts throughout the North Shore. During this time he continued his education at Wentworth Technical Institute. Al was involved in many local organizations, including serving as an Essex County Deputy Sherriff, the Masonic Lodge of Salem, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxilliary, and served as Past President of both the Peabody Kiwanis Club and Peabody Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church. Never having children of his own, Al’s greatest legacy was helping many members of his wife’s family emigrate from Greece. This legacy began in 1956 when he was joined in his home by his brother and sister-in-law, Peter & Matoula Soteropoulos along with their children George & Teddy. In 1970, he brought his niece Joanne from Greece, followed by her brothers Teddy in 1971 and Takis in 1985. As his nieces and nephews had children and grandchildren, they treated Al as another grandfather and all affectionately referred to him as Papa Al. He particularly enjoyed babysitting Joanne’s grandchildren, Ioanna and Christos. While Al showed a great deal of love to his entire family, it was Joanne that he treated as his surrogate daughter. She too loved him as her second father and she was honored when he walked her down the aisle at her wedding to her husband Christy in 1976. In his later years, Joanne acted as his caregiver until his passing. In addition to his work, Al enjoyed ski trips to the White Mountains, numerous trips to Greece, Florida and the Caribbean, and camping, boating and fishing with his friends and family at the Country Shore Camping Area in Kingston, NH. Al was a loving man, respected Contractor, upstanding member of the community, and will be missed by all who knew him. In addition to his wife Helen, he is survived by his nieces and nephews: Joanne Venios & her husband Christy of Peabody, Theodore Soteropoulos & his wife Pam of Salem, Takis Soteropoulos & his wife Paula of Peabody, Eleni Dimitriou & her husband Tasos of Oropos, Greece, George & Kathy Soteropoulos of Peabody, Theodore Soteropoulos of Peabody; his great-nephew and Godson Speros Venios of Peabody; great-niece Dina Kalaitzidis & her husband Demetri and their children Ioanna and Christos of Peabody; his sisters Claire Viel of Dover, NH and Anna Wallingford of Berwick, ME; his brother-in-law Peter Soteropoulos of Peabody; his nephew and Godson Thomas Viel & his wife Nancy of Dover, NH, and many other nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings Victor, Armand, Richard, Madeline, William and Henry. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to gather on Thursday November 12, 2015 at 9 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, followed by a Funeral Service at 10 AM in St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, Peabody. A visitation will be held on Wednesday from 5 – 8 P.M. in the funeral home. Burial will be in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody. Donations in his memory may be made to St. Vasilios Greek School, 5 Paleologos St., Peabody, MA 01960