Tribute has been paid to former Broughty Ferry woman Alex (J.M.) Alexander MBE, who has died in Arbroath aged 98.
The much loved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother and step great-grandmother, lived a long and very active life, carrying out many different forms of voluntary and charity work.
She was on many committees, most notably as chairperson of Hillcrest Housing Association.
On her retirement from the civil service, she set up the charity ‘Activities in Retirement’ with several others and became chairperson of this organisation as well.
She was awarded an MBE in 1994 for her involvement in both of these areas.
Alex was also an executive member of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Area Committee, chair of a local community council in Dundee and committee member of Dundee Reperatory Theatre Club.
She was also a keen member of the steering group and eventually vice-chair of Stobswell evening classes and a member of Morgan Academy Schools Council.
Alex Alexander was a special constable
She managed to find time in her busy life to be a special constable for four years in the Stobswell area of Dundee and be a voluntary helper in Oxfam shops.
Alex moved to Broughty Ferry and became a member of Broughty Ferry Community Council and a friend of Barnhill Rock Garden Group.
She was also a committee member of the Dundee-Orleans Twinning Association.
Alex was born in Aldershot, the youngest of a large family.
Daughter Heather said: “She used to tell me that her formal education ended when she was just 13.
“Her school was closed at the beginning of the Second World War because Aldershot was called `The home of the British Army` and the authorities were worried that the town would be bombed more than anywhere else. However, this didn’t happen!”
Alex met a sergeant in the Royal Army Service Corps, John Alexander, and they married on March 31 1945.
At the end of the war, John moved back to his home town, Glasgow, with his new young wife.
Apart from a couple of years in Hove when John worked in London, Alex spent the rest of her life in Scotland. The rest is history…
Alex Alexander enjoyed Scottish country dancing and fashion
One of her favourite hobbies was Scottish country dancing which she did into her 80s.
In fact, her 80th birthday was celebrated with an evening of Scottish Country dancing in St Stephen’s Hall, Broughty Ferry.
Other money raising charity work involved one of her favourite interests – fashion.
She was one of a team of fashion models for the Phyllis Halliburton Modelling Agency raising money for various charities through fashion shows.
She personally raised £3000 in sponsorship for ‘Activities in Retirement’ and, when she won Clydesdale Bank’s ‘Time of your Life’ award, she donated the prize to AIR.
When Alex turned 80 she felt it was time to slow down a bit so retired from most committees.
However, she still found time to dance, meet friends and take an interest in politics.
There was much letter writing throughout the years to Members of Parliament and The Courier in particular.
She enjoyed a visit to Orleans, regular visits to Copenhagen to see her daughter and family, then trips to visit her grandson and his family in Holland.
Alex spent the last four years of her life in Kendale Hall, Arbroath, where she still enjoyed the occasional bit of dancing and socialising with the other residents.
She passed away peacefully on February 10.
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