About Wendal Alonzo Givens
Wendal Alonzo Givens
Wendal Alonzo Givens is a life long native of Dinwiddie County, Virginia. He was educated in the Dinwiddie County Public School System. There he was the Founding Director of the first high school gospel choir in the school's history, Dinwiddie High School Voices of Love, which is still in existence today. He attended John Tyler Community College and received an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Funeral Services in 2001. After completing State and National Board examinations, he became a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in 2002 for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is also a 2004 Honors Graduate of the historic Saint Paul College, Lawrenceville, Virginia, receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management.Wendal is a member of the St. John Baptist Church, Stony Creek, Virginia. There he actively serves on the Deacons Ministry, Big Brothers, and Pastors Aide Ministry. For the past 29 years, he has served as Musician for his home church, and presently serves as Minister of Music under the pastoral ship of Rev. Herbert R. Holly, II. He also has served for the past 23 years as Musician at the Olive Branch Baptist Church, Dinwiddie. Wendal is the Musical Director of the Sussex County United Fellowship of Churches Mass Choir, and Director of the Dinwiddie County United Churches Music Department.
He is the Youth Coordinator for the Bethany Baptist Association, where he also serves on the Executive Board, and as Musical Director for the Annual Convention Choir. He is an affiliate of Hamptons Ministers Conference and Musicians Guild, and the National Baptist Convention, USA.
Wendal is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Sigma Petersburg Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He is a member of the C. V. Wilson Masonic Lodge, #317, Free and Accepted Prince Hall Masons, where he has served many years as Secretary. He is a member and Past Worthy Patron of the Order Eastern Star Petersburg Chapter #33, PHA.He is a former board member of the City of Petersburg Community Alliance for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Prevention. There in the city of Petersburg, he also formally served as an appointee to the Board of Directors of the Cameron Foundation, serving on the Grants Committee. He serves as Treasurer and Past President for the Southside Funeral Directors Association, and Chairman of the Board of the Virginia Morticians’ Association, Inc. In 2014, He was awarded “Mortician of the Year” for the Virginia Mortician Association, Inc. He is a member of the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, and the NFDA. He serves as Chair of the Membership Committee for the NFD&MA. In 2020, he was awarded the NFDMA 40 and Under Professional Achievement Award. Wendal is the General Manager of the Petersburg Chapel of the Joseph M. Johnson and Son Funeral Home, where has been honored and blessed to serve with the Johnson Family since 1997. He is also the Embalming Supervisor of the J. K. Redmond Funeral Home, Shacklesford, Virginia. He is married to the former Raven P. Dickerson, daughter of Reverend Willie E. and the late Margaret Dickerson, and the son of the late Evelyn J. Givens, Mr. Weldon and Mrs. Alice Givens of Carson, Virginia.