John Leonard Venable

JOHN LEONARD VENABLE, 83, of Little Rock passed away after a five-year battle with cancer on Jan. 14, 2016. He was born in Grady, Ark. to R.J. Venable and Tempie Roberson Venable on Oct. 10, 1932. Leonard ventured off the family farm at 18 and was the first member of his family to graduate college. He joined the Navy and traveled the world while serving aboard the USS Prairie (AD-15) and upon his honorable discharge, settled down in Little Rock. After a time parking cars, Leonard “talked his way into a job” in real estate working for Mr. Elbert Fausett. From there it was a rapid rise to success. Over the next several years Leonard founded Terra Properties; rose to the rank of vice president at First Federal Savings & Loan; sat on the board of directors of the Little Rock Junior Chamber of Commerce; and only fourteen years after getting his start with Fausett, he purchased the company and served as its President and CEO. As with all things in life, success wasn’t always present, but Leonard’s devout faith, internal strength, and perpetual resilience were. He had the unique opportunity to demonstrate his unfailing character in the face of both great success and strong adversity. Leonard adapted, overcame, and succeeded. Throughout his 60 year career, he continually established himself as a multifaceted businessman through many successful ventures as an entrepreneur, land developer, and mortgage banker; but the most important things in his life were his relationships with God and his family. He is preceded in death by his parents; beloved infant son; brothers Clyde and Harold; and sister, Frances. He is survived by his wife, Delores (Dee) Venable; three sons, John L. Venable, II (Diane) of Washington, D.C., David Venable of Dallas, Texas, and Mark Tabor of Newport Beach, Calif.; daughters, Pam Shuffield (John) of Little Rock and Lorrie Linn Woodward of Ft. Smith, Ark.; grandchildren, Christian Tabor, Ben Shuffield, Jack Shuffield, Luke Shuffield, Adam Woodward, Rebekah Woodward, and Hannah Woodward; brother Robert J. Venable of Grady, Ark.; sisters-in-law, Charlene Venable and Donna Ruth Venable; and a host of loving nieces, and nephews. Leonard was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church and a former Bible Study Fellowship leader. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bible Study Fellowship or Immanuel Baptist Church Building Fund, 501 N. Shackleford, Little Rock, Ark., 72211. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m., Monday, Jan. 18, 2016 at Grady Cemetery in Grady, Ark. Arrangements by Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Ark. 72211, (501) 224-8300. Mr. Venable will lie in State until 5 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.