James Dudley Alexander died Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010. Memorial service: 11 a.m. Friday at First Christian Church, 910 S. Collins in Arlington. Memorials: First Christian Church Memorial Fund or Heifer International. James was born Dec. 24, 1937, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Adopted by John D. and Leela Alexander as an infant, he was raised in Frederick, Okla., and Abilene and Archer City. He served in the 49th Division of the Texas National Guard during the Berlin Wall crisis. He graduated from Texas Wesleyan College Class of 1964, and worked for the Department of Agriculture and General Services Administration, Federal Supply Division for 35 years. He married Lynda Bruton in July 1961, and they lived their adult life in Arlington. They had one daughter, Shannon Leigh Alexander. After retirement from government service, he opened a small shop, JD's Recycled Metal Art International. There he practiced his love of welding and blacksmithing by creating garden whimsies, crosses, handrails for elderly friends, bottle trees and other art or useful objects. Dudley loved people and collected a broad cross section of good friends. He loved to travel, especially RV camping. He was a strong Christian and member of First Christian Church in Arlington. He had served as a deacon, chair of the education department and chairman of landscape. One of the great joys of this past year was reconnecting with his birth family. Survivors: Wife, Lynda Alexander; daughter, Shannon Alexander; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Rex and Janice Bruton; nephew, Les Banks and wife, Mille; nieces, Judy Melton and husband, Chris, Donna Pruitt and husband, Gerald, Kim Thompson and husband, Don; and a number of great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.