Lasting Memories

Daniel Alexander
Sept. 27, 1916-Nov. 9, 2006
Los Altos Hills, California

Daniel Alexander, 90, a 51-year resident of Palo Alto and Los Altos Hills, died Nov. 9, 2006.

He was born Sept. 27, 1916, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Minette B. and Daniel Alexander. He summered as a cowhand on the family ranch in Colorado and following the death of his father attended the New Mexico Military Institute where he earned a commission in the horse cavalry in 1936. A graduate of Stanford University, as a student he exercised horses at the Menlo Circus Club and waited tables at the University Creamery to make expenses.

At Stanford he met his wife of 53 years, Margaret Woodard, also a Stanford student, who preceded him in death in 1993. They were married at Stanford Memorial Chapel in 1940.

He served in the Army Air Corps in England and France through World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star for his work planning the rescue of allied prisoners of war by using the Air Corps' heavy bombers to ferry prisoners from formerly German-held territory. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel during the war and continued in the Air Force Reserve until retirement.

Settling after the war first in Yuba City, he worked for PG&E for 43 years, moving to Palo Alto in 1955 and ending his career at retirement in 1981 as manager of the Mountain View district office. Moving from Palo Alto to Los Altos Hills in 1966, he volunteered for 30 years on the board of directors of the Purissima Hills Water District of Los Altos Hills, was a longtime member of the Mountain View Rotary, Friends of Westwind Barn, the Los Altos Hills Historical Society, the Friends of Griffin House (historic residence at Foothill College) and many other civic and charitable organizations. The Mountain View Chamber of Commerce honored him as Citizen of the Year in 1980 and the Friends of Westwind Barn awarded him a John W. Gardner Building Community award in 2005 and honored him as "Horsefather of the Century" in 2006. He was an avid horseman, sailor, skier and hiker until well into his 80s, relishing especially his annual participation in the High Sierra Regatta at Huntington Lake in the Sierra Nevada.

He is survived by his children, Nancy Nuechterlein of Marina Del Rey, Wendy Arthurs of San Anselmo and Daniel Alexander, Jr. of Palo Alto; his sister, Marion Peterson of Chapel Hill, N.C.; six grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and his dear friend Jean Dugan.