Laveda Dell Alexander

Ranger has lost an icon, Laveda "Polly" Alexander passed away peacefully November

12, 2025 at the Ranger Care Center at the age of 92. Born in Ranger on May 14,1933,

to Clarence and Mary Mitchell, Ms. Polly graduated from Ranger High School in 1950

and then attend Ranger Junior College.

She was musically talented and played in her parents' Western Band when she was in

high school. Her love of music and singing played an important role in her life. No

matter where she lived, she was always a member of her church choir and always

found a local choral group to sing with. While a member of the Abilene Classical

chorus, she was able to travel to Rome and sing in the Vatican. Also, to New York to

perform at Carnegie Hall. Throughout the years, she gave piano lessons to many of the

children in Ranger. When you walked into her home, you were greeted with no less than

three pianos. When the old Ranger High School building was being torn down in the late

70's, she put a bid in for the high school's Baldwin Grand piano which she had been

able to play while she was in school and it soon became an institution in her home.

She married Joe Alexander, who was in the Air Force and lived in many places around

the world with her four children. They lived in the Philippines, Nebraska, Oklahoma,

South Dakota, Okinawa, Virginia. When Joe retired

from the Air Force, the family moved back to Ranger. Joe continued to work at Ranger

Junior College as the manager of the Student Union Building and Cafeteria. It was

during this time that Ms. Polly became the most dedicated loyal fan of all the sports at

Ranger College. She seldom missed a basketball, football or baseball game. She loved

the students of Ranger College. She was also the number one supporter of the Ranger

Fire Department. The song she wrote "Call For The Ranger Volunteer Fire Department"

is almost legendary. Ms. Polly loved Ranger. No matter where she lived and the places

her family called home for a short period of time, Home was always Ranger.

For about 20 years, Polly ran the Ranger Rodeo Queen competition and was even

named an Honorary Rodeo Queen herself. When she realized the high school needed

to be replaced, she ran and was elected to the school board and convinced them to

build a new high school. Her family has lots of stories about her time as a school board

member. When you drive by Ranger High, you can thank Ms. Polly for her efforts to get

it built.

She is survived by brother, Dan Mitchell, sister, Mollie Pressler, her four children,

Jennifer Alexander, Beverley Whitis, Michael Alexander and Richard Alexander, seven

grandchildren and numerous great and great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in

death by her father, Clarence Mitchell, mother, Mary Mitchell and sister, Ailene Barham.

Funeral Services will be held at the Edwards Funeral Home in Ranger, Wednesday, November

19, 2025 at 11:00 am. officiated by Reverand Ronny Guess. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Ranger. There is no scheduled visitation.