Hilda Mae Alexander

Hilda Mae Alexander Resident of Berkeley Hilda Mae Alexander was born in Lafayette, Louisiana on September 26, 1921 as the twelfth of seventeen children to the proud parents of Marguerite Longevin Martin and Joseph B. Martin. She accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at the Good Hope Baptist Church, Lafayette, Louisiana. She received her early education in Lafayette schools and was an honor student at Paul Breaux High School. Math and biology were her best subjects. She attended business school at Dillard University, later transferring to the University of California, Berkeley. The outbreak of WWII interrupted her educational pursuits so she was employed in the defense industries in the Bay Area beginning in 1942 and became one of the many female 'Rosie The Riveters' who helped with the war effort. In 1945, Hilda married Emile Alexander at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oakland. As a member of Beth Eden Baptist Church, Dr. Gillette O. James, pastor, she served as a member of Lydia Circle, Prayer Band, Sunday school member, Superintendent of the Children's Sunday school, and lead bible studies at Highland Hospital. Hilda was faithful serving as Den Mother for the Cub Scouts, founding Trustee of the Creative Growth Art Center, pioneer 'senior scholar' volunteer in the Berkeley Unified School District and a passionate lover of classical music. She was a busy bee with her resourceful skills in uphol-stering, knitting, crocheting, cooking, bowling and gardening. Hilda worked as a Laboratory Technician Researcher with the University of California Donner Laboratory and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her 30 tenure with both agenies was fruitful with her name appearing on dozens of published research papers by Professors and Researchers. She was comfortable at the Berkeley Pines Care Center, enjoyed eating and participating in the activities she could daily. Her bright eyes and smile, verbal affirmations of feeling well, humming hymns when played and thumbing through the bible were evident and profound before her sunset to glory on December 3, 2010. She was preceded in death by her husband Emile (1961) and son Donald (2006). Hilda Alexander will be affectionately remembered by her daughter, Angela M. Alexander-Archie, Son-in law Willie C. Archie, adopted son, Kamau Mbugua, two brothers, Clarence Martin and James Martin, Grandson, Raymond Archie, Grand-daughter, Renata Archie-Guisse (Mamadou), Great-Grandson, Ibrahima Guisse, four sisters-in-law, Lydia Butler, Virgis Thomason, Eddie Lee Martin and Joann Martin, nieces, nephews, two Godsons, Freddie Martin Jr., and Erwin L. Carpenter, along with other relatives and a host of friends and acquaintances. A quiet hour will be held at the Sunset View Mortuary, 101 Colusa Avenue, El Cerrito, CA, on Tuesday, 12/7/10 at 6:30 p.m. and a funeral on Wednesday, 12/8/10 at the Beth Eden Baptist Church, 1183 -10th Street, Oakland, CA. Donations in the memory of Hilda may be sent to The Crowden School, 1475 Rose St., Berkeley, CA 94702.