Harold T. Alexander

Harold T. Alexander, age 87, of West, passed away Tuesday evening, June 11, 2013 at his residence. Graveside services will be held 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Oakwood Cemetery in Waco with Reverend Curtis Holland officiating. Masonic Graveside Rites will be conducted by Dwan North. The family will receive visitors from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday at Aderhold Funeral Home Chapel in West. Harold was born May 1, 1926 in Decatur, IL the son of Ralph Howard and Hattie Lee (Fletcher) Alexander. He served his country in the United States Navy during World War II in the Pacific aboard the Fletcher Class Destroyer USS CONY DD-508 from 1943 to 1946. Harold was awarded the Victory Medal, World War II, Asiatic-Pacific 6 Stars, and the Philippine Liberation 2 Stars. On May 21, 1960 he was united in marriage to his beloved Beatrice Marchenski in Tulsa, OK. Bea preceded him in death on April 17, 2008. Harold retired as a Communications Engineer with RCA at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD participating in the Gemini and Apollo 11 Program. Harold and Bea retired to their farm in West in 1972 where they raised Polled Herford cattle for a number of years and it was there they spent their remaining years. Harold was a 53 year member and Past Master of the Waco Masonic Lodge #92 A.F. & A.M. and a 53 year member of the Waco Scottish Rite Bodies. In 2005 he was Coroneted a 33rd Degree Inspector General Honorary, a member of the Waco York Bodies, Past Sovereign DEMOLAY Conclave Red Cross of Constantine, Life member of the West Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 34819 and a longtime member of the Waco Downtown Bible Class. Harold is also preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Ralph Howard Alexander and Robert Allen Alexander. Survivors include a son, Ronald Howard Alexander, two daughters, Carolyn Harvey and Tommie Savina and husband Jack, all of Anchorage, Alaska; grandchildren, Jessica Ann Vint, Roderick Ralph Harvey III, Jacqueline Ann Trimble, Mary Anna Savina and Carolyn Marie Savina, and 7 great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas.