Alexander Armstrong Alston Jr.

Alexander Armstrong Alston, Jr.

Jackson - Alexander Armstrong Alston, Jr., a Mississippi trial attorney, State Bar President, Marine Captain, author and lifelong community service volunteer, died on June 1 in Jackson, Mississippi. He was 82.

He was born in Cleveland, Mississippi and grew up in Hollandale, Mississippi. His parents were Alexander Armstrong Alston and Elizabeth Davidson Alston. He graduated from Hollandale High School and matriculated to Millsaps College and was President of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and guard for the Majors football team. He received his BA in political science in 1958. He loved to remind people that he lived under the gym with a rowdy bunch of football players, a possum and few birds.

He married Sarah Jane Givens 60 years ago. They spent three years in the Marine Corp. He returned to MS and graduated from Ole Miss Law School, first in his class and was editor of the law journal. He had a clear sense of right and wrong, believed in the justice system and worked to ensure the justice system righted the wrongs of our community.

During his legal career, he was a lawyer's lawyer and lion of the bar. He was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and American Board of Trial Advocates. He was elected President of the Mississippi Bar Association in 1991 and 1992. One of his greatest honors was his firm receiving the John Minor Wisdom Award for Public Service and Professionalism Award and the American Bar Association's Pro Bono Public Service Award.

Almost immediately after graduation, moving to Jackson, Alston devoted much of his free time to public service. He became a Scout Master to a generation of young men in Jackson for Troop 302. After twenty years of service he was honored with the Council's highest honor, Silver Beaver Award.

He was a great supporter of Stewpot Community Services being a board member and in 1997 the Board President. He was an advocate for the Mississippi Natural Science Museum doing everything from raising money to stuff a black bear (illegally shot) to President of the foundation. He was also trained and volunteered for the Mississippi Crisis Line.

He was the family historian with Christiana's Legacy and The Alston Saga and as Mississippi historian co-authoring Devil's Sanctuary.

Alston will forever be remembered for being a wonderful husband, a great father, and embracing all around him.

He is survived by his wife Sarah Jane Alston; his children, Alexander Armstrong Alston, III (Cathy), Alyce Alston (Tom Biggs), Sheldon Alston (Cassie); and grandchildren Alexander Armstrong Alston IV (Brandi), Mary Tulula Alston (Andy), Peter Alston Biggs, Sarah Brooks Biggs, Helen Rose Biggs, Sheldon Givens Alston Jr, Miles Phillips Alston, and Gray Fairman Alston; great-grandchildren, Emily Lorelei Alston and Virginia Jane Alston; and sister, Elizabeth Ann Alford.

The family wishes to thank all friends and family that have laughed and loved with Alex.

The family will be accepting friends from 5 until 7 PM on Tuesday and from 10 until 11 AM on Wednesday, June 5 with a memorial service to follow at 11 AM at Fondren Presbyterian Church.

Flowers will be accepted at the church or memorials may be made to Stewpot Community Services or Fondren Presbyterian Church.