James "Jim" Alexander Jr., 78, of Eau Claire died Tuesday, December 16, 2008, at Syverson Lutheran Home. He was born on April 11, 1930, in Assumption, Illinois to James and Elizabeth (Leach) Alexander. He grew up in Pana, IL, graduating from Pana High School in 1948. He earned both a Bachelor's and Master's degree from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Jim reached the ABD stage (All But Dissertation) for a PhD from the University of Oklahoma in Norman-he was too busy learning about and sharing his world to sit and write a book! Jim served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. \r\nIn 1966, Jim moved to Eau Claire to teach at UW-Eau Claire. He taught Cultural Geography for 30 years with an emphasis on Latin America and Scandinavia, retiring in July, 1996. From 1974 to 1986 he also held the half-time position of Study Abroad Advisor at the University. On Sept. 1, 1967, he married Karen Haas at Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire. Jim and Karen have three children: Maria, Jonathan, and Lisa.\r\nJim thrived on all learning, whether through his own experiences, personal accounts of others, or reading. The world was his home and he explored as much of it as time and finances allowed. He was a dedicated teacher, loved his students, and was energized by their experiences and discoveries. Jim loved and enjoyed his family, both the extended family of his siblings and their children, and especially his own three children. He was a proud father and grandfather.\r\nJim will be lovingly remembered by his wife Karen; his three children, Maria Flores, Jonathan (Angela) Alexander, and Lisa (Jeremy) Rehwaldt Alexander; six grandsons, James, Paul, Jake, Cusijaime, Marcus and Leonard; sisters, Gertrude Welsh and Juanita Chipman; sister-in-law, Valerie Alexander, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Kristine and Conrad Eastwold; and numerous nieces and nephews.\r\nHe was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter, Elizabeth; siblings, James Rhodes, Lonnie Alexander, Lottie Tarvin, Bernadine (Lester) Klay, Virgil (Lorraine) Alexander, and Glen Alexander; brothers-in-law, Thomas Welsh, and Harold Chipman; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law Leonard and Dorellen Haas.\r\nFuneral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 21, 2008, at Grace Lutheran Church with Pastors David J. Irgens and Debra Boynton officiating. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery in Eau Claire. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Lenmark Gomsrud Linn Funeral Home and one hour prior to services Sunday at the church.\r\nThe family suggests memorial gifts given to the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, Schofield Hall 214, P.O. Box 4004, Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004, designated for the James Alexander International Study Abroad Scholarship, Syverson Lutheran Home, 816 Porter Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701 or Grace Lutheran Church, 202 West Grand Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54703

Service Information