James "Dick" Alexander

James E. “Dick” Alexander was born on January 7, 1924 in Hesterville, Mississippi to parents Earl and Lula Alexander. In his long lifetime Dick has been known by many names including Son, Brother, Husband, Daddy, Pop, Pappy, PePaw, Uncle Dick, and probably some others that can’t be mentioned here. He grew up working on the family farm picking cotton, tending the fields and milking the cows. In 1941 he enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps where he served as a groundskeeper at the Vicksburg National Cemetery. While there he worked six days a week and earned $1.00 per day. He would send $5.00 home to his parents each week and keep $1.00 for incidentals and maybe a movie. In 1943, shortly after the onset of World War II Dick was inducted into the US Navy and assigned as Fireman First Class. After boot camp he was scheduled to depart for Honolulu, Hawaii on the USS Palmer, but, due to a glitch in the paperwork he was not on the Palmer when it departed San Diego. The Palmer was later sunk in the Lingayen Gulf early on January 7, 1945 by a Japanese twin engine bomber. Dick was transported to Honolulu on a fully loaded oil tanker that sat inches above the water. For a farm boy from Mississippi that was quite a trip. After arriving in Honolulu Dick served at Pearl Harbor until his honorable discharge in 1945. He was one of the last remaining veterans of World War II. Returning home to Mississippi he gained skills as a machinist and married Loise Ellington in 1949 in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Lacking work in Mississippi they moved north to White Plains, New York where their son was born. In 1951 with the defense industry in Texas booming, he packed up and moved to Grand Prairie, Texas. In 1952 they moved into their new home and had two daughters. He remained in that same home until his death in 2022. During the years that he lived in Grand Prairie, Texas he worked as a machinist in the defense industry and devoted himself to his wife and children. Besides being an excellent machinist, Dick was also an accomplished woodworker. To anyone who had the pleasure and honor of knowing him, Dick will be sorely missed but, we must console ourselves with the thought that he is finally at peace. Dick is survived by his three children, James K. Alexander (Linda), Brenda J. Motsinger (Ruben Salazar), Barbara K. Barnard (Perry), grandchildren Heather Cummings, Brian Alexander, Crystal Taylor, Melanie Case and Jeremy Motsinger. Dick is also survived by 17 great grandchildren, brothers Howard Alexander, Charles Alexander, Robert Alexander and Jimmy Alexander and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his wife Loise Alexander, grandson James Motsinger, parents Earl and Lula Alexander, brother Aris Alexander, sisters Sallie Alexander, Burle McDonald, Mae “Snooks” Keene and Earline Daugherty. Visitation will be Monday, March 21, 2022 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Bean-Massey-Burge Funeral Home, 2951 S. Belt Line Road, Grand Prairie, TX 75052. Visitation will be Thursday, March 24, 2022 at 10:00 AM at Jordan Funeral Home in Kosciusko, Mississippi, with a graveside service immediately following at Parkway Cemetery in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Pallbearers are Bob Alexander, Lamar Alexander, Morris Alexander, Bryan Alexander, Ed McDonald, Royce McDonald and Billy McDonald Officiant is Reverend Ladell Blanton.