Longtime educator Reginald Alexander passes away

Reginald Yardley Alexander of Glen Ellen died of heart failure in his daughter’s home in Kenwood on Saturday, January 16, 2010.  He was 85.
A memorial service for Alexander will be held on Friday, January 22 at 4 p.m. at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.
Many Valley residents will remember Alexander as a kind soul and supporter of not just the children of Dunbar School but children as a whole. Alexander became a business teacher at Balboa High School. He devoted over 50 years to the profession of education, first as a teacher and counselor, then as principal of two high schools, supervisor of secondary education for the San Francisco Unified School District, vice chancellor of City College of San Francisco.  Alexander also served as a member of the board of trustees of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District.
On a second run for the board, Alexander came up against and, ultimately, lost to current board member Nicole Abate Ducarroz.  Although they ran against each other, Ducarroz remembers Alexander being very supportive of her nervousness prior to public speaking engagements or debates.  “We didn’t agree on everything but our goals about educating children were the same.  No matter what, Reg always had a smile on his face.  He will be missed.”
Alexander was born in Nevada and raised in Humboldt County.  He graduated from Mission High School in San Francisco in 1942, having already enlisted in the Army at the age of 17.  He reported for duty at the Presidio of Monterey, then trained in Georgia as a paratrooper. He was assigned to H Company of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, which shipped out to England in 1943 and was attached to the 101st Airborne Division, the “Screaming Eagles.”
In high school, Reg had dated Nida Kelly, and while he was missing in action for 105 days, Nida never gave up hope. They married after the war, and remained happily married until her death nearly 60 years later.
Reg was passionate about golf and celebrated his 80th birthday playing St. Andrews golf course in Scotland. He returned to Normandy in 2009 for the 65th anniversary of D-Day “Day of Remembrance” and was honored to be awarded the Légion d’Honneur, the highest decoration in France, in the village of Houesville, making him an honorary French knight in the Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur – Sir Reginald Y. Alexander.
He is survived by his son, Jim Alexander, daughter and son-in-law Ann and Mike Fischer, daughter and son-in-law Bonnie Alexander and Ross Sierck, granddaughter Kelly Fischer and grandson Michael Fischer. “My Dad is my hero,” said his daughter, Bonnie. “Reg was a courageous man his whole life right up to his last breath,” Ross said.
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church is located at 16290 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Andrew Presbyterian Youth Group, or to Sonoma Ecology Youth Education, 20 East Spain Street, Sonoma, CA 95476, www.sonomaecologycenter.org, or a charity of your choice.