We left the Bat Mitzvah lunch a little early to get to the memorial for John Alexander. Along the way we passed an anti-war rally, something I mention because John would have strongly approved.I don't know when I first met John, probably around 1982 at the Municipality of Anchorage where he was Director of Labor Relations. We also had another connection at the University of Alaska
Anchorage when John was enrolled in a doctoral seminar. John was always (at least outwardly) calm. He seemed to be seeing things from above and back a ways where his view was clearer than those of us caught up in the middle. He always saw the humor in the situation. It isn't that he didn't take things seriously. He took things so seriously, that he had to have a little distance to keep his sanity. John was always out doing things for other people and was involved in so many community activities, including theater.The picture is from our Labor Day BBQ last September.
The memorial was at the IBEW meeting room, an appropriate place for a strong union man, and in addition to some local folks talking about John, his brother and brother-in-law gave us a glimpse at the John before he came to Alaska. Roseanne, John's wife, left us not that long ago, and I still miss her warmth and wit.
It was also nice to see Layli, the niece John and Roseanne loved so much, here with Craig ("the reason I'm living in New Jersey.") I hope we can keep in touch with her, John and Roseanne's living legacy.
John, we'll save a spot for you at this Memorial Day BBQ. And several desserts.
See also Good-bye Bea Rose for more on John and Rosanne
Steve, I'm doing some list updating in our personal records and was trying to get current information on John. I didn't want to check in obituaries, but I finally did.
ReplyDeleteOh. No.
John was a good friend in his time he spent with all of us at Out North. Lots of stories to tell and I wish we would have been back in ANC for this one -- or better, to have had a cup of coffee with him before he passed.
So many folks have gone since we left. It will be good to see folks again in just a bit more than a month now. Go well, John.