Rosemary Schwetman Alexander

Rosemary was born in Waco, Texas December 19, 1947 to Herbert Schwetman and Mary Jean Knight Schwetman. She graduated from Richfield High School in Waco in 1966 and from Baylor University in 1970. She received a PhD in English from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977.

In 1973 she married Bill Alexander in a ceremony in her parents’ back yard, and they enjoyed a loving, mutually supportive relationship for the 47 years until her passing.

She taught English at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts and at the University of New Mexico at Los Alamos, and was employed as a technical writer at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

While living in New Mexico the couple had two sons, Will and Randall. When Will was born with cerebral palsy, she immediately gave up her teaching career and began to educate herself on the problems faced by families with children with disabilities and resources available to these families.

When the couple returned to Austin in 1984 Rosemary joined the ARC of the Capitol area and created a program, Pilot Parent, which won a national award as the best program of its kind helping families with children with special needs. She next worked in the Austin Independent School District as an interface between these families and the district. She believed strongly in the power of parents to help other parents.

Along with two friends, in 2002 she helped start a statewide non-profit, Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P). TxP2P now serves over 9,000 families and 1,500 professionals across Texas by providing information, resources, support and education.

Rosemary was a trailblazer in the difficult transition period from childhood to adulthood and building a good adult life for loved ones with disabilities. She started TxP2P’s Pathways to Adulthood program to help families with this transition. She developed talks and all-day workshops on the subject, which she delivered all over the state. Rosemary will be remembered and missed by the thousands of parents and professionals in Texas whom she taught, worked with and mentored over the years.

Both before and after marriage Rosemary traveled widely, visiting a few countries in Asia, many in Europe, and also Israel and Australia.

Rosemary loved the outdoors. Every morning rain or shine she began the day with a walk around the neighborhood with friends. She eagerly undertook more challenging hikes on the trails around Austin, along the Llano river, and in Big Bend National Park. She enjoyed learning the names of every flower and tree she encountered. She could be sneakily mischievous, and was often impulsive. She would jump into a river or backyard pool, sometimes forgetting to take her cellphone out of her pocket beforehand. She was positive and cheerful; somehow a room became a little brighter when she entered it.

In all of her roles, as a wife, mother, companion, teacher, or creator, her actions were characterized by kindness, consideration, and a desire to help. We are told “As you sow, so shall you reap”. Rosemary sowed help and kindness, and she was rewarded with love and admiration from all who knew her.

Rosemary is survived by her husband, William Preston Alexander III, her son William Preston Alexander IV, her son Randall Knight Alexander and his husband Guillermo Garza de Alexander, her brother Herbert Schwetman Jr. and his wife Anne Greenway, her brother John Schwetman and his wife Jenny Schwetman, and several nieces and nephews.

The immediate family will hold a private remembrance, and will host an open and joyous celebration of Rosemary’s life next year as soon as travel and large crowds can be done safely.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Texas Parent to Parent at www.txp2p.org