Kenneth Alexander

Obituary of Kenneth O. Alexander Hancock Kenneth Alexander 83, passed away peacefully at Portage Health on Sunday, July 17, 2011, shortly after admission. Ken was born the son of Oliver and Jenny (Mortier) Alexander on October 19, 1927 in Vulcan, MI. He attended Vulcan Grade School and Vulcan High School, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class. He enlisted in the Coast Guard after graduation in 1945. He then entered the Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, in 1946 and resigned in 1947 when he entered Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. He graduated from MSU in December, 1949, with a bachelor's degree in Economics. He was accepted for graduate work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, in 1950. In 1953, he was drafted into the U. S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1955. That same year, he returned to MSU as an Instructor. He met his wife, Eleanor (Ellie), when she was working in the Economics Dept. while a student at MSU. In February, 1957, he received a PhD in Labor Economics from MIT. On December 19, 1959, he married Eleanor Salmon at the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel. In 1961 their daughter, Laura, was born and he accepted a faculty position at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, MI. In December, 1961, Ken took a sabbatical leave from MTU and moved with his family to Pittsburgh, PA where he worked with Jack Coleman to make 160 programs and co-author a book for the American Economy TV series for educational television and CBS. In 1963, they returned to Houghton, MI, where Ken resumed teaching and their son, Paul, was born. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Hancock, MI, and have resided in Hancock ever since except for a short stay in Iowa City, lA, where Ken accepted a teaching position at the University of Iowa in 1964. In 1965, Ken resumed teaching at MTU as a Full Professor. In 1969, the Alexanders traveled to the San Francisco, CA, area where Ken was a visiting professor at San Francisco State for the summer. After returning to Houghton, he remained at MTU until his retirement in 1988. During his career he wrote and had published many articles in his field of Labor Economics. Ken was a member of the Calumet Theatre, Houghton County Historical Society, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Blue Key. He enjoyed retirement, keeping very busy with his family, a house, a cottage, a deer camp and two vehicles which he loved to work on. He was an excellent chef and an avid reader. Other interests were hunting, fishing, biking and doing research on the computer. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and was very proud of his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Ellie; children, Laura and Paul (Vickie Gauld): grandchildren, Abby, Sam and Lydia: sister, Jeanne and brother, Don: a special Aunt Gen and several nieces and nephews. Military Rites for Kenneth will be held at 9 pm Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at the Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Hancock with the Copper Country Veteran's Association officiating. Friends may call on Tuesday August 16, 2011 from 7 p.m. until the time of services. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy the family suggests that memorials be given to Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly or the Calumet Theater in memory of Kenneth O. Alexander. To view Kenneth's obituary or to send condolences to the family please visit www.memorialchapel.net. The Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Hancock has been assisting the family with the arrangements To send flowers to the family of Kenneth Alexander, please visit Tribute Store