James W. Alexander

James W. Alexander, 87 of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma passed away April 27, 2014. Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, May 1, 2014 at First Christian Church Newton J. Robinson Chapel with Rev. Barry Loving officiating. Burial will follow the service at 3:00 p.m. at Westlawn Cemetery in Borger by Griggs-Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors, 5400 S. Bell. Jim Alexander, 87, of Amarillo died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, April 27, 2014 in Oklahoma City. Jim was born on February 15, 1927 at his family’s ranch in Hemphill County, Texas to Ralph and Polly Polk Alexander. He attended Valley Park School in Lipscomb and graduated from Canadian High School in 1943 at the age of 16. He earned his Chemical Engineering degree from Texas A&M University in 1949 and was very proud of his Aggie heritage. He was a Cadet Corps Commander while at A&M. His education was interrupted by his service in the United States Army in Hawaii. Upon graduation from college, he went to work for Phillips Petroleum Company In Borger. He met and married Nada Lee Moon in 1951.She was the love of his life and his wife of 54 years. They were blessed with two beautiful daughters, Jim’s career with Phillips took the family to Antwerp, and Brussels Belgium, Bartlesville and Houston. Jim loved his work and made many lifelong friends during his tenure with Phillips. His very successful 36 year career ended in Houston as Vice President of Plastics and Petrochemicals . He retired in 1985 and returned to the Texas panhandle making a home in Amarillo. Jim was a very kind, intelligent, generous and loving person.. He touched the lives of all who knew him and was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend. He was active in his church and a true Christian. He was an avid collector of science fiction and Bowie knives and had quite a collection of both. He enjoyed going to gun shows, Aggie football games and used book stores. After a courageous battle with leukemia in 2004, Jim overcame that hardship and went on to live a long and healthy life. Heaven gained a kind and gentle man. He will be greatly missed. He lived an extremely happy, full life and we are all better for having known him. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and his great-nephew.

Survivors include daughters and sons-in-law, Lynn and George Pettyjohn and Beth and Billy Croll; grandchildren, Alex and Elizabeth Croll; sister, Nancy Coffee; nephews and nieces, Ron and Joan Rounsaville, Jamie and Terri Rounsaville, Dr. Keith Coffee and McKay Otto, Kayla and Chris Anderson, and Kari Coffee; 9 great-nieces and great-nephews and one great-great niece. He is also survived by his beloved cats, Molly and Mimi.