Alfonzia Quarterman

ALFONZIA "BIG AL" QUARTERMAN

Urbana

Alfonzia "Big Al" Quarterman, 84, of Urbana, formerly of Rock Island, Ill., went to sleep for the last time on this earth Sunday June 28, 2015, at home with his family. Services: 1 p.m. Wednes-day, July 8, at Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 4401 42nd St. NE, Cedar Rapids, where the family will greet friends from 11 a.m. until service time. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Born Sept. 4, 1930, in McIntosh, Ga., he was the youngest of six children to Arthur Quarterman Sr. and Lillian (Baker) Quarterman. Both parents, three brothers, Oneimus J. Quarterman, Charles E. Quarterman and James A. Quarterman Jr., and two sisters, Coralee Brownson and Virdell Jackson, all preceded him in death.

When, at 9 months old, his father suddenly passed, his mother took baby Al and his oldest sister, Coralee, and moved to Savannah, Ga., to find better work. The other children were taken in by other family members until they all reunited in Newark, N.J., years later. Al attended St Mary's Catholic School and after graduating from high school in 1947, he headed north to Newark. There he soon met and married Irene Overton on Sept. 15, 1956. They later moved to Belmar, N.J., where they raised their family.

Al loved to cook and became head chief and baker at Pat's Diner, where he was known for his beautiful wedding cakes. In 1974, he moved the family to Rock Island, Ill., after Irene convinced him to help her brother, Jim Overton, run his business, Jim's Rib Haven. Al learned to master the skills of barbeque from Overton.

In 1983, he opened his own Jim's Rib Haven in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He honed his skills and in a few years came up with his own recipes and opened Al & Irene's B-B-Q House. He was soon well known throughout Iowa as the best in the Midwest. Al retired and sold the business in 2009.

Al also had a passion for God, family, music and laughter, and often traveled to visit family near and far. He was a longstanding member of Seventh-day Adventist Church and served as deacon, elder and Sabbath school teacher. He also led Bible study and often preached a sermon or two. You could often find Al reading his Bible, of which he had many.

He was always sharing the word of God to anyone who would discuss the Bible with him. He was a member of the Men's Bible Study Fellowship Group and would visit the sick and shut-ins weekly to talk and pray with them. Al was a God-fearing man and everyone would come to him for a few words of wisdom and a good laugh.

He knew how to tell a good story and would have a captive audience when he would start to talk about the good old days – back at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, N.J., the Cotton Club and all the famous singers he and his wife would watch perform in New York. He even landed a seat next to the great Sugar Ray Robinson's table at the club he owned.

"Big Al" was preceded in death by his loving wife of 57 years, Irene (Overton) Quarterman.

Left to cherish his memories are his children, Joyce (Colbert Dotson) Quarterman, Illinois, Oneimus (Lisa Walker) Quarterman, Nebraska, and Theresa (Archie) Collier, Iowa; grand-children, (his phone buddy) LaTrisha Quarterman, Las Vegas, Ashley Quarterman, Iowa, Zachary-Alfonzia Quarterman, Iowa, Katrina Quarterman, Iowa, LaQulia Overton, Iowa, LaShell Walker, Iowa, Arnique Martina, Maryland, Kadaess Quarterman, Iowa, Oneimus Quarter-man (JR) Jr., Iowa, Giana Irene Quarterman, Iowa, (The Guys) Ryan Dotson, Iowa, Jermaine Dotson, Kansas, and Collin Dotson, Illinois; great-grand-children, Maria Quarterman, Iowa, Zaryas Walker, Iowa, Ka'Lum Walker, Iowa, and (the Boss) Jayden Dotson, Illinois; at home, his wife's dog, Tasha; special sister-in-law, Polly Overton, Illinois; special nephew, Bobby Taylor, New Jersey; special niece, Olivia "Pee Wee" Aiken, Missouri; and a multitude of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends from coast-to-coast and across the nation.

Rest in Peace and God Bless.

A memorial fund has been established in memory of Al.

Please sign the online guest book for Al at www.murdochfuneral home.com under obituaries.