PLANO, TX
Robert "Bob" Alexander, 96, passed away peacefully in a senior living residence in Plano, TX, on August 23. He was surrounded by loving family. Bob was born to Army Colonel William Denison Alexander and Rachel Claude Doughty on December 31, 1919, in Champaign, IL. He was named for his grandfather, World War I Major General Robert Alexander. Bob spent most of his youth living in Annapolis, MD. He attended St. John's College and later joined the Army Air Corps during World War II. He trained as a bombardier and navigator for the Northrop P-61 Black Widow. While stationed in Norman, OK during the war, he met Shirley How, of Oklahoma City, and they married in 1945. The two lived briefly in Florida and New Mexico before settling in Oklahoma City, where they raised four children and spent 61 of their 68 years of marriage. Most of Bob's career life was spent working in the insurance industry. He first worked as a Special Agent with the Maryland Casualty Co. throughout the 1950s until 1964, then with the Mid-Continent Casualty Co. and Gulf Group through the 1970s. In the 1980s, he worked for Great American for a short time before finishing his career as an investigator for the Oklahoma State Insurance Fund. Bob retired in 1994, but continued part-time contract work for the Fund until 82 years of age. In 2007, Bob and wife, Shirley, moved together to Garden Terrace, of Overland Park, KS, an Alzheimer's specialty care center where Bob spent his last nine years. Bob was an educated and refined man, yet related to everyone with warmth, kindness, humor, and equality. He was a great storyteller, with a good sense of humor and a contagious laugh. He loved to demonstrate a proper boxing stance, the perfect tennis swing and find the best bargains. He always rooted for the underdog, whether it be in sports or in life's endeavors. Bob was preceded in death by parents, William Alexander and Rachel Doughty; sister, Billie Todd; brothers, William Alexander and Marine Major Richard Alexander; wife, Shirley Alexander; and daughter, Jennifer Alexander. He is survived by son, Robert Alexander IV and wife Melba; son, Jon Alexander; daughter, Caroline Rinaldi and husband Robert; daughter-in-law, Francine Ringenback; grandchildren, Lisa Hawkins, Gina Fergeson, Jon Alexander, Francesca Hoffpauir, Sean Alexander, Robert and Jennifer Rinaldi; great-grandchildren, Matthew and Andrew Hawkins, Joshua and Nathan Fergeson, Ashley Shreve and Brady Hawkins; and great-great-grandson, Alexander Hawkins. He is also survived by many more family members and dedicated care providers at Garden Terrace and Groom Senior Living. Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 10 in the Chapel at Resurrection Cemetery in Oklahoma City.

Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Monday, December 5, 2016, Page 6A.