Robert Alexander

1944 - 2017

Robert D. Alexander

East Lansing

After a courageous 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer, Bob Alexander, 72, died peacefully at home on April 26, 2017. In honor of his wishes, his body was donated to the MSU College of Medicine Willed Body Program. 

A memorial celebration of Bob's life will be held on Friday, July 14 beginning at 5:30pm at Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Rd., East Lansing. 

Bob was a selfless tireless fighter, activist and champion for peace, social justice, civil rights, economic, race, gender and marriage equality, the environment, healthcare, pay equity, campaign reform, family and children's rights, voter rights and numerous other progressive national, state and local causes for over 50 years. Driven by a desire to serve and help create an enlightened, fair and transparent civil society and a passion to make a difference, his entire life Bob was politically active running energetically for Congress in 2004 and 2008, for State Representative, East Lansing City Council and Ingham County Board of Commissioners. Over his lifetime he gathered signatures on petitions, analyzed voting results and managed, coordinated and worked on hundreds of campaigns from president to precinct delegate. He lived with integrity and honesty. 

Born in Nashville, TN on October 31, Halloween, 1944 to Robert and Dorothy Darwood Alexander, life's journey led to Berkley, Mi, where Bob graduated high school and Ann Arbor where he graduated from the University of Michigan. His world view and passion for public service was shaped by his experiences serving two years in the Peace Corps in India. He proudly served in the National Teacher Corps in Hopkinsville, KY, taught school at Webster Elementary in Detroit and Kaiser Elementary in Willow Run, and earned a Master of Education degree from Wayne State University. After living in Ann Arbor for 18 years and working as a Michigan Senate staffer, Bob moved to East Lansing where he lived for 34 years. He was an employee of the now Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Citizens for Better Care, and became an enthusiastic Michigan State University fan who often happily sported an MSU cap and sweatshirt, except at The Big House where Bob and Julie were season ticket holders who rarely missed a U-M football game. 

Bob was a skier, sailor, runner, history buff, storyteller and phenomenal dancer. Time spent with family and friends brought him endless joy.  

Bob was a loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin and friend. He will forever lovingly be remembered by his wife and soul mate Julie Horn Alexander, daughter Lindsay (Yessi) Alexander (Brooklyn, NY); sons and daughters-in-law Michael and Melissa Massey (Northville, MI), Brad Horn and Coburn Dukehart (Madison, WI); grandchildren Jackson, Zachary and Easton Massey, Quinn and River Dukehart Horn; sister Joan (Mike) Howe (Bethlehem, PA) and Carolyn Alexander (Danette Nelson) (Cupertino, CA); in-laws Stan (Jo) DeHaan (Caledonia, MI), Gregg (Rose) Dykstra (Muskegon, MI), Helen (Russ) Brinks (Caledonia, MI); nieces and nephews; special friends Ira, Andrea, John and Tyler Harrison (Ypsilanti, MI), Melissa, Paul, Creaghan, Myah and Matea Diekema (Grand Rapids, MI), Jocelyn and Don Vanda, Sarah Anthony (Lansing, MI) and Abby Clark (Washington DC), his dear U-M Phi Kappa Tau fraternity brothers and their wives John and Judy English, Bob and Mary Hutchins, Les and Susan Loomans, Dan and Mary Pence and Bob and Karen Woodworth, and Peace Corps compatriot Bob Hanson and wife Carol Ahlum. He was preceded in death by his parents Robert and Dorothy Alexander, in-laws Bernard and Julia DeHaan and sisters-in-law Shirley VanSledright, Betty Kamphuis and Mary Dykstra. 

Special thanks and love to Dr. Mark Zalupski, Ashleigh Bielecki, Julie Gibson, Rose Wedal and all the caring staff of the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. You gave us hope and support and reminded us every day and every step of the journey that "No One Fights Alone," and to Shirley Nowakowski- You are an angel. 

In honor of Bob, memorial contributions may be made to the Capital Area Housing Partnership www.capitalareahousing.org , the Michigan Peace Team/META Peace Team www.metapeaceteam.org/donate, Cristo Rey Church Youth Ministry Fund, Lansing or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network www.pancan.org