Alton M. Alexander

Alton M. Alexander Jr. of Olympia, Washington, passed away at St. Peter Hospital in Lacey Washington, on January 24, 2017 at the age of 85. He was born February 16, 1931 to Alton M. Alexander and Rula Morgan Alexander in Twin Falls, Idaho. He was the oldest of three children. Alton was someone who always wanted to work, and began his career at the age of nine doing yard work for a professor at the college. After turning that job over to his brother, he then worked for Pocatello Greenhouse until high school when he worked for Bargain Barn Grocery in Pocatello. Alton attended and graduated from Pocatello High School in Pocatello, Idaho, and went on to earn a degree from Idaho State University. From 1951 to 1953, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Spanish American Mission. He spent three years as a missionary learning to love the people of Texas and the Spanish language. His transportation on his mission was his beloved Harley-Davidson motorcycle until it was proven to be a distraction. He returned home to his fiancée, DeNiece June Pieper, and they were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on January 20, 1954. In church service in the Pocatello area, he served as a counselor to the Bishop, and later served on the high council. He worked for Idaho Wholesale Grocery and Clover Club, and opened and operated Grand Central Market in Pocatello with his father. In 1958, Alton began his career with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as an agent, and quickly moved up as an Agency Manager in Twin Falls, Idaho. For many years, he was always included in the Million Dollar Roundtable Convention with Metropolitan in honor of his sales production. In Twin Falls, he served as a Bishop of the Twin Falls 5th Ward. In 1968, he accepted a promotion to Junior Field Trainer with Metropolitan. This took his family to Bellevue, Washington, where he worked out of Seattle. For the next two years, he flew to work anywhere along the West Coast (from San Francisco to Anchorage) on Sunday night, and returned Friday afternoon to spend the weekend with his family. In 1969, he was called to be the Bishop of the Bellevue 3rd Ward, so his weekends were shared with his ward family as well. In 1970, he received a promotion to Senior Field Trainer, working out of San Francisco. He continued his travel schedule in this position, until October 1970 when he was offered the position of District Manager in Olympia, Washington. In Olympia, he served in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Stake Young Men’s leader. In that position, he helped institute weekly dances for the youth that involved youth from Aberdeen to Yelm, and Centralia to Lacey. Alton then served in the Church as a member of the Stake Presidency from 1973 to 1981, and as President of the Olympia, Washington Stake from 1981 to 1990. In 1986, he retired from life insurance, and spent the next eight years providing back up for his wife, DeNiece, on her motorized paper route with the Daily Olympian. In 1993, Alton was called to preside as the president of the California Riverside Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There he had the opportunity to work with his “wonderful” Elders and Sisters as they shared the gospel. He loved every moment and made many treasured relationships. After returning to Olympia, he was able to serve as the Stake Patriarch. He loved this opportunity. He found great joy meeting with and serving mainly the youth in the Lacey Stake. Shortly after returning home from his California mission, Alton suffered a major heart attack while on a family vacation in St. George, Utah. It was quickly discovered what a blessing it is to have a heart attack in a retirement mecca. He was flown to Salt Lake City where he had a nine-bypass surgery on his heart. He pulled through that trial and, in 2000, he was called to serve as the Director of the Liberty Jail Historic Site in Liberty Missouri. He loved the people and thoroughly enjoyed working with the downtown merchants in Liberty to promote their community. After returning home from his mission in 2002, he couldn’t wait to get back to the temple as a temple worker in the Seattle Washington Temple. He was a Sealer there, and many of his grandchildren received the blessing of being married/sealed by their grandfather. Because of his wife DeNiece’s health issues, he was unable to serve another mission, which was his heart’s desire. Instead, he and DeNiece worked in the temple together, and he cared for her as her health declined. He said goodbye for a time to his sweetheart October 26, 2016 with a broken heart. His mind was strong, his body worn out, and he missed his wife too much to stay much longer on the earth. He passed away quickly from complications to Influenza A. He is survived by his children, Deon Taylor (Wallace Taylor- San Antonio, Texas), Steven Ross Alexander (JoAnn Hannigan-Olympia, Washington), Linda Jones (Gordon Jones- Rocklin, California), Alton Jay Alexander (Julie Compton-Lacey, Washington). He also is survived by grandchildren, Collin D. Taylor (San Antonio, Texas) Ian Alexander Taylor (Provo, Utah), Chris Taylor(Orem, Utah), Alexander Jones (Salem, Oregon), Morgan McCalip (Frisco, Texas) Alton Jay Alexander Jr. (Salt Lake City, Utah), Eamonn M. Taylor (Cedar City, Utah), Jennifer Flemming (Kent, Washington) Ben Alexander (Louisville, Kentucky), Pieper Andrews (Saratoga Springs, Utah), Whitney Taylor (Orem, Utah), Sam Alexander (Federal Way, Washington), Jenica Sparks (Lehi, Utah), Kelsie Ray (Portland, Oregon), Steven Ross Alexander Jr., ( Orlando, Florida), Tina Alexander (Springville, Utah), Daneah Alexander (Lacey, Washington) Surviving great-grandchildren include Kaya Burd, Alton Taylor, Gavin Taylor, Pieper Taylor, TanLeigh Taylor, Ewan Taylor, Alillya Taylor, Guy Taylor, Cora Taylor, Odinn Taylor, Hugo Taylor, Carter McCalip, Kate McCalip, Henry Jones, Vivian Jones, Jane Jones, Adysen Alexander, Kaitlynn Alexander, Charlotte Sparks, Evan Alexander, Ethan Sparks, Isaac Sparks. He is also survived by his brother, Richard M. Alexander (Rocklin, California); and sister, Mona Alexander Reece (Pocatello, Idaho). He was proceeded in death by his wife, DeNiece June Pieper Alexander; and his great-grandson, Roper Taylor. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation Alton’s honor to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Missionary Fund (lds.org). Please leave memories of Alton or condolences for his family in the Guestbook below.