CLINTON -- Dr. Robert Le Gette "Bob" Alexander, 67, of the Presbyterian Home died Dec. 22, 1998, in Laurens County Health Care Center in Clinton.

A native of Perkinston, Miss., he was the son of the late Thaddeus Flournoy and Elizabeth Bell Polk Alexander.

He received his associate's degree in business from Southwestern University in 1924 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., in 1929. He also was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from Erskine College in 1955.

He was a Navy veteran of World War II and served as the first chaplain on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Yorktown, which was later called The Flying Lady. He served in seven major campaigns in the Pacific and was a recipient of the Presidential Citation. He also served as commanding officer at the Volunteer Composite Unit 6-58 in Greenwood.

Dr. Alexander served as pastor to Brevard Presbyterian Church in Brevard, N.C., and First Presbyterian Church of Lumberton, N.C. He also served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Greenwood until his retirement in 1968. After his retirement, he served as interim pastor of Cedar Springs ARP Church in Troy and to Liberty Springs Presbyterian Church in Cross Hill.

He was a member of the S.C. Presbytery where he had served as moderator and as chairman for many years of the church extension committee. He also served as a member of the board of trustees and on the executive committee of the Presbyterian Home of S.C. and formerly served as honorary chaplain of the Presbyterian Home in Clinton. He was a former member and past president of the Greenwood Ministerial Association and served for many years as the director of the community chest.

Dr. Alexander conducted a daily radio program for many years, "Living Day By Day," at WCRS in Greenwood and also authored a book by the same title. He wrote a column, "Dr. A's Thought for Today," in the Greenwood Index Journal. He served as a former member and past president of the Greenwood Kiwanis Club and served on the board of directors for the YMCA. He was a recipient of the SC Patriots Award presented by the National Guard and was featured on "Extraordinary People," this year by SCETV.

Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth Murchison Alexander; two sons, Robert L. Alexander Jr. of Spartanburg, and Hugh Murchison Alexander of Columbia; a brother, Edwin H. Alexander Sr. of Salisbury, N.C.; three sisters, Sara Bartlow of Fort Meyers, Fla., Louise Stilson of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Nelda Clark of Mobile, Ala.; five grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Burial will be in Oakbrook Memorial Park.

Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, SC) - Thursday, December 24, 1998