Frederick Arthur (Art) Alexander died on Sunday, January 14 at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, BC. He was a few weeks short of his 81st birthday. He died of complications from a determined battle with Lewy Body disease.

Art had a varied and successful professional career, but most important to him by far was his family. He cherished a 60-year fairy tale romance with his wife Doreen. He was immensely proud of his daughter, Allison, and his son, Lawrence. Along the way he was delighted to add a son-in-law Tom and a daughter-in-law Tracey. His greatest joy was to hang out with his grandchildren, Georgia, Lucy, Alana, and Marshall.

Born in 1937, he spent his first years in Hudson’s Hope, BC. His father died when he was one, his mother took a job in Victoria, and his aunt brought him to Victoria, BC to re-unite with his mother. He spent an unhappy year at a Victoria private school, but found his groove in Edmonton at “Scona” High School, and at the University of Alberta where he graduated with a degree in metallurgical engineering in 1959.

Newly married, Art and his young wife Doreen drove across the country to Port Colburne, Ontario to begin a career in the mining industry. This path took him to Parral, Mexico where Allison was born, and to Flin Flon, Manitoba where Lawrence was born. Seeking a career change, he spent a year in teacher training (which he didn’t like), landed what he would later call his favourite job as a loan officer at the Industrial Development Bank. Never afraid to take on something new, he would later take leadership roles at the Mining Association of BC, Britannia Beach, an office furniture business, and Klohn-Crippen engineering consultants. Always community minded, Art would still find time to volunteer at the local strata council or riding association.

Throughout his life, Art remained close to loyal groups of friends from high school, university, and a “Can-Am” group that celebrated its ties across the Canadian-US border. Over the years, the get-togethers with all these groups were yearly highlights.

Art and Doreen have lived at UBC for the past 25 years. His lasting memory is that of a very kind and loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and friend.

Donations made in memory of Art will go toward the Lewy Body Disease Fund at UBC Medicine. After a determined battle, Art passed away due to complications from Lewy Body disease. The disease is one of the leading causes of dementia, and your gift will support research in the Faculty of Medicine.