Richard Morgan Alexander

January 3, 1933 - November 15, 2021

Richard Morgan Alexander passed away peacefully at home on Sunday evening, November 14, 2021, having lived 88 wonderful years. Richard was born on a snowy Tuesday, January 3, 1933 in Idaho Falls, Idaho to Alton M. Alexander and Rula Morgan Alexander. Blessed to be the middle child with an older brother and younger sister, he grew up in a loving home in Pocatello, Idaho. As a young boy, Richard often accompanied his father in the Standard Oil truck delivering diesel to farms and businesses. The time was well spent singing and whistling, a talent he shared freely throughout his life. At the age of 7, he worked with the early morning milkman running bottles up to the porches. He also cared for Professor Nielsen’s yard and helped prepare 100 of his chickens for market. In the fall he joined classmates in harvesting potatoes. When Richard turned 12, Sister Margaret Mary of St. Anthony’s Hospital hired him to work in the laundry, occasionally clean the pharmacy and even hang some drapes. He gave his best effort and she trusted him to prune her prized rose bushes. Richard found great joy in simple things. He and his brother would often walk the family cow down the road to graze along the canal bank while they swam. His creative, adventurous spirit once took him to the barn roof with a heavy canvas tarp as a parachute. That ended differently than he had expected. This sense of adventure also led him to the water tower with his ice skates in the winter and some pretty daring escapades with a motorcycle in high school. Richard attended Roosevelt Elementary School, Franklin Middle School and Pocatello High School. He was a good student, but his sense of humor sometimes kept him from taking school seriously. During his early high school years, Richard first noticed the beautiful Jacklyn Lee Pieper. They only lived 4 walkable blocks from each other, yet Richard still wanted a car and asked his dad to help him get one. His father agreed. The next morning, father and son went down to the bank and opened a savings account. Dedication to his job at Okay Bakery helped him save enough to buy his 1942 two-door Fleetline Chevrolet. At the beginning of his senior year, the Korean conflict had just started. All he could think about was the war and Jackie. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he had planned to serve a mission following high school. That was no longer an option since each family was allowed only one draft exemption and his brother was already serving a mission. Rather than wait to be drafted, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 on his sweet mother’s birthday. He knew that was a painful gift for her. Richard spent the next 4 years assigned to a destroyer, the USS Duncan, cruising between Pearl Harbor, Midway, Korea and Japan. He was off the coast of North Korea, near Russia, the day Jackie graduated from Pocatello High School. In late August 1952, Richard headed home on leave. He had sent a letter earlier to Jackie asking a very important question. Sitting quietly in uniform at the Albertson’s lunch counter, he watched Jackie work and waited for an answer. He had just sold his Chevrolet to buy her a ring and he was praying she’d say yes. Richard Morgan Alexander and Jacklyn Lee Pieper were married for all eternity on September 2, 1952 in the Salt Lake Temple. A week later the newlyweds were separated again when Richard reported back to his ship. They patiently endured three more years of separations and reunions with home bases in San Diego, CA and later Bremerton, WA. Their first daughter, Janet, was born during the Navy years. In September 1955, Richard began classes at the University of Washington. This was serious education and he wanted to do well. Once prerequisites were completed, he was accepted to the University’s Dental School. He worked hard and was top of his class. Although the University discouraged it, Richard worked a number of jobs to help pay for school. He delivered mail during the holidays, worked as a bellhop at the Edmond Meany Hotel in Seattle, read blueprints for Boeing engineers and swept hangar floors. Their second daughter, Susan, joined the family during the Dental school years. Following graduation in 1961, this young family of four moved home to Pocatello to practice dentistry. Richard’s kind heart and his patient’s inability to pay made this a difficult year. The family returned to Seattle where he was now an instructor at the Dental School. A year later the opportunity to practice dentistry in Sacramento, California presented itself and the Alexanders were moving again. This was a good fit. Richard and Jackie worked hard to revive an old dental practice that they had bought. After trying a few locations, Dr Alexander’s 2525 K Street office was the perfect place for his new family of patients and assistants. He was loved by so many. And he loved them in return. Two more daughters, Sandra and Jodee, and finally a son, Robert, completed the family. These were good years. The family was busy and growing with camping trips, music lessons, Galena tours, girls camp, scouts, dance festivals, Temple trips, Little League, water polo and dirt bikes. Richard supported it all, then he’d work late into the evening to finish a crown or bridge for the next day. It was always comforting to know where to find him, especially if you needed to talk or simply be near him. Along with his family and dental family, Richard had a church family that he loved dearly too. He had been blessed to serve in many positions along side forever friends. He served as Young Mens President, High Priest Group Leader, Counselor, Bishop, Stake President, Counselor in the Oakland Temple Presidency and Temple Sealer. He counseled, taught, laughed, inspired, prayed, cried, and offered the Savior’s help and hope. Richard took to heart Christ’s admonition when he asked, “Lovest thou me? Feed My Sheep”. In February 2001, Dr Alexander received a call at work from Salt Lake City. Elder Dickson asked if Richard was available for an assignment on Saturday. Certainly. This unexpected call led to a most cherished experience with the prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley. They spent the afternoon together looking at proposed sights for a Temple in Sacramento. Richard later recorded: “I will never, ever, as long as I live, be the same.” He continued to be instrumental in the Temple’s construction. Three years later another call from Salt Lake invited him to serve in the Oakland Temple Presidency. His acceptance meant he had two weeks to retire, sell his dental practice and relocate to Oakland. Nearly an impossible task, but he didn’t hesitate because he had made a promise. Fifty years earlier, seaman Alexander had followed the Spirit’s promptings when an aircraft carrier collided with the USS Duncan. After he was miraculously spared, Richard promised to serve the Lord for the rest of his life. And so he did. The man with a heart of gold had a failing heart. Numerous procedures over the years helped for a time, only to struggle again. Mother’s Day 2021 Richard came home from the hospital and vowed to never return. His family lovingly cared for him. Tim Waterman RN, Carolyn-Hospice Aid and Mercy Hospice provided excellent comfort, care and friendship. And our remarkable Fijian sisters: Lousilini, Maggie, Eta, Martha and Gene made this a sweet experience. Thank you. Richard is survived by his wife, Jacklyn Lee Pieper Alexander (Rocklin, California); and his sister, Mona Alexander Reece (Pocatello, Idaho). He is also survived by his children: Janet Scott (W. Dennis Scott-Richland, Washington), Susan Boren (Murray Boren-Orem, Utah), Sandra Willis (Wesley Willis-Clinton, Utah), Jodee Bordisso (Michael Bordisso-Lincoln, California), and Robert Alexander (Robyn Smyth-Rocklin, California). His surviving grandchildren include: Alyssa Christensen (Walla Walla, Washington), Michelle Besendorfer (Tooele, Utah), Krista Hill (Richland, Washington), Levi Boren (Colorado Springs, Colorado), Ryan Scott (Spokane Valley, Washington), Kara Smith (Coalville, Utah), Mindy Scott Mawson (Hyde Park, Utah), Kristy Logie (East Granby, Connecticut), Russell Astle (Citrus Heights, California), Kimberly Hammer (Clinton, Utah), Emma Funk (Burley, Idaho), Roger Astle (Orangevale, California), Stephanie Payne (Carmichael, California), Kyle Willis (Clinton, Utah), Hannah Parker (Boise, Idaho), Jill Mellerio (Chapel Hill, North Carolina), Noah Boren (Orem, Utah), Sydney Astle Draney (Sacramento, California), Kole Willis (Clinton, Utah), Paige Mellerio (Washington DC), Alex Bordisso (Nashville, Tennessee), Abigail Alexander (Vineyard, Utah), Sophia Bordisso (Nashville, Tennessee), Robert Matthew Alexander (Provo, Utah), Elder Richard Michael Alexander (Ivory Coast Yamoussoukro Mission), Mary Kate Bordisso (Lincoln, California), Joseph Christian Alexander (Rocklin, California), Casey Alexander-Koeth (Folsom, California), Joshua Neil Alexander (Rocklin, California), Adam Smyth Alexander (Rocklin, California) He is also survived by great-grandchildren: Elder Kade Christensen, Connor Hill, Stuart Scott, Bethany Hill, Samantha Boren, Luke Christensen, Amelia Scott, Glenn Boren, Jake Smith, Tyler Hill, Jackson Funk, Claire Scott, Bradley Scott, Kate Smith, Avia Mawson, Isaac Christensen, Brayden Hammer, Hudson Funk, Aurora Mawson, Emily Scott, Oliver Hill, Louisa Scott, Colton Draney, Enna Mawson, Abby Hammer, Remington Astle, Rachael Logie, Haley Scott, Chelsea Logie, Piper Funk, Hadley Smith, Henry Scott, Mason Willis, Mordechai Parker, Kylan Draney, Carter Mawson, Reginald Astle, Richard Astle, Maggie Boren, Qynn Smith, Jameson Logie, Grayson Hammer, Corbin Mawson, Brooklyn Logie, Wren Parker, Tate Mawson, Brielle Willis, Aurelia Parker. Richard is preceded in death by his parents, Alton M. Alexander and Rula Morgan Alexander; his brother, Alton M Alexander Jr; his grandson, Jon William Scott; his great-grandsons, Jacob Henry Besendorfer and Beau Willis Smith; and his great-granddaughter, Avriel Grace Parker. Funeral services will be held at Green Valley Mortuary in Rescue, California on Saturday, November 27 at 11:00 am. A viewing for family and friends will be at 10:00 am. The service will also be Livestreamed that morning at greenvalleymortuary.com To view Funeral Service Livestream: https://my.gather.app/remember/richard-morgan-alexander