William D. Alexander, Sr.

William Donovan Alexander, age 82 passed away in Lexington, South Carolina on January 23rd, 2024. He was the son of William H. Alexander and Beryl C. Alexander.

Don, as he was known by family and friends, was born October 18th, 1941, in Sherman, West Virginia. Don is survived by three children Christopher Carl Alexander, Theresa Ann McGraw, and William Donovan Alexander Jr. He was "Grandpa" to eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Don also leaves behind his brother Charles Alexander.

As a young man Don was fond of the outdoors and the mountains of Colorado. But his true lifelong passion was always horses. At the age of 15 he worked and saved to purchase his first horse, a beautiful black stallion, which he was known for riding everywhere. Later he would work on a farm both breaking and bonding with horses. He was a true cowboy.

Four months before his 19th birthday Don volunteered to serve in the United States Air Force. He was active duty from 1960 - 1964, and was stationed at the remote base of King Salmon, Alaska for two of those years. After the military Don married Martha Alexander, and soon had two children, a son Chris and a daughter Theresa. During his early 30s Don gave his life to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and later became an ordained minister. He loved reading the bible, attending church and ministering to others. In 1974, Don returned to Alaska to start a ministry, taking with him his wife and their two children. Don loved to tell the stories of his life's experiences. Stories about fishing and hunting or his military days, but he was especially fond of telling the adventure of traveling up the Alcan (Alaska-Canadian) highway with his young family, which was only partially paved road at the time, in their 1954 Ford pickup that he built himself especially for the trip. Don and Martha would eventually expand their family by one more, when their youngest son Billy was born in 1975. For 15 years Don lived in Alaska, owned more horses, hunted, fished, worked at a local steel company and ministered to others about Jesus.

Don would eventually return to the lower-48 where he would become an over the road truck driver and go on to marry Katherine Alexander, who he described as the love of his life. After Katherine's passing Don moved to South Carolina to get away from the cold Colorado winters, where he would spend more time outdoors hunting, fishing and then eventually just riding his bike. He would also continue serving others by volunteering, with a freind, to visit residents at a local retirement home. Folks there fondly remember him as the friendly gentleman in the cowboy hat ready to share a conversation and a smile.

Don will be missed by many, as he touched countless lives with his lifelong commitment to ministry, but none more than his children, to us he was Dad, and he was larger than life.


William's service will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click here to view the service.