Arthur W. Alexander

Arthur William Alexander, 85 of Fairfield, the beloved husband of the late Erla Ann Hutchinson Alexander, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 25, 2026. He was born in Brooklyn, NY to the late Harry and Sadie (Levy) Alexander.

The middle of three sons, Arthur grew up in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. His early years were marked by a close-knit family and childhood friendships that continued for the rest of his life. Though neither of his parents had attended college, they stressed the importance of education to their sons. Arthur did very well academically, even skipping a grade and graduating from high school at 16. He also had a mischievous side, though. He once skipped school to go to a Brooklyn Dodgers game and saw a no-hitter, but had to keep it a secret for years because he didn't want his parents to find out that he had cut school.

After graduating from Tilden High School, Arthur majored in philosophy at Columbia University, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1961. He stayed at Columbia for one year of graduate school, but left before finishing. Turning down a job offer from the CIA, he embarked on a career in Personnel/Human Resources, starting out in labor relations, which yielded some interesting stories. In 1973, he joined Schlumberger, where he served as VP of Personnel, staying with the company until he retired in 2000.

Arthur was active in retirement. He served on the board of Schlumberger's corporate foundation for several years, and volunteered with the blind and as a driver for cancer patients. He continued cycling, a hobby he and Erla started in the early 1990s. And they traveled extensively together, including a few weeks each year spent on a narrowboat on the canals in the English countryside.

Arthur was appreciated in both his professional and personal relationships for his integrity and down-to-earth nature. He was the kind of person that others went to for advice on career matters and big life decisions because he asked good questions and sought to thoroughly understand situations from all angles. Arthur had a quiet self-assurance, which gave him a healthy ability to laugh at himself, whether for his hairline or his alma mater's football team. Those who knew him will miss him deeply and will remember his steadying influence, his openness to growing as a person, his dedication to his family, and the way he treated everyone with dignity.

Arthur is survived by his sons, Bill and Jordan; his grandchildren, Samantha and Will; his former daughter-in-law, Radka; his brother, Morton, and his sister-in-law, Paige Kenney; and many extended family members and friends.

A private memorial service to celebrate Arthur's life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions in Arthur's memory go to the Double Discovery Center, which helps first-generation students from low-income neighborhoods in Manhattan achieve their college dreams (https://ddc.college.columbia.edu/).