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ALEXANDER, ROBERT F., 92
ALEXANDER, ROBERT F., 92, passed away on January 12 at Heaton Woods. He was born Aug. 15, 1917, in the same building, then Heaton Hospital. He was the son of Ned and Lula Colby Alexander. He graduated from Montpelier High School in 1935 and later from a Springfield, Mass., business college. Bob served in the U.S. Coast Guard from August 1942 until his honorable discharge in October 1945. During that time he was rescued from a life raft after surviving his ship being stranded in the North Atlantic without power or communications. He married Barbara Miles of Middlesex. In the early years of their marriage, they operated a children's clothing store on Main Street in Montpelier. Together they had an infant daughter, who died soon after birth. He and Barbara later divorced. He moved to Seattle to work for Boeing and then to Burbank, Calif., where he was employed by Lockheed Aircraft as a senior contract administrator. He served as liaison between company and customers. Upon an early retirement from Lockheed, Bob made a bicycle trip that was one of the highlights of his life. In 1973, at the age of 55, he pedaled his bike from San Francisco to Northfield, a trip of 3,184 miles. It took him 44 days, 6-1/2 of which were not travel days. Bob was proud of the fact that he pedaled the entire way. In later years after returning to Vermont permanently, Bob lived in Washington for several years, before residing for many years on Main Street in Montpelier. He especially loved walking the grounds of Hubbard Park, and was able to take daily hikes there well into his 80s. He was a member of the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired and spent many hours with his friends in that organization. In 2005, Bob was warmly welcomed into the Heaton Woods family. He was very mindful of the genuinely caring hearts of the staff and fellow residents. He leaves behind there many special friends. He was predeceased by his parents; brothers Max and Clifton; and sister Maude Taylor. He is survived by several nephews and extended family.
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