Significant Dates
15 February 1913: Born in Calcutta, India. Family resided in
Dhanbaid. Son of train driver, Robert John, and Jessie b.
Ritchie.
06 March 1913: Baptised in Dhanbaid by Charles S.
Coldwell.
1920-1925: Attended Black Forest School, Adelaide, Australia
and received his Qualifying Certificate on December 17, 1924.
June 1926-May 30,1932: Philander Smith College (High school), Naini
Tal,
India. Passed the University of Cambridge Junior Local Examination in
December 1928. On December 17, 1930, he received his School Certificate.
He was also the recipient of the Prefects' Gold Medal in 1931.
1932-37: St. Xavier's College, Calcutta. Received his Bachelor of
Arts (English Literature) with honours in 1934 and his Bachelor of
Teaching in 1937.
February 1937-August 20,38 Taught English and Mathematics at St.
Andrew's Colonial Homes' Higher Grade School in Kalimpong, Bengal, India.
He left the school prematurely because of a lack of married quarters. The
name of his first wife was Ada with whom he had one child, a daughter,
Aida Jenkins, now residing in Hornsby, Australia.
1939: Sailed to New Zealand. Received Teacher's Certificate,
Class C, on November 8, 1939. This was raised to Class B on November 1,
1940, and to Class A on June 13, 1950. He received from the University of
New Zealand a B.A. on November 26, 1940, and a Diploma in Education on
January 26, 1943. On May 26, 1950 he was awarded an M.A. in Education by
Victoria University in Wellington.
On December 12, 1962 he received his Advanced Diploma in Teaching, his
Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota on December 18, 1965 and a
Certificate of Meritorious Service from the University of Wisconsin at
Eau Claire on January 1, 1980.
February 1940-55: Teacher of English at Hastings Boys' Highschool
where he also ran the School Drama Club. His
book entitled The Story of Te Aute College appeared in October
1951.
February 1955-1963: Head of English Department at Tauranga Boys'
College
(High school). He was also in charge
of the School Library and the Debating Club. He was a member of St.
Peter's Presbyterian Church during these eight years.
January 1964-May 1965: Visiting Lecturer in English at Macalester
College, St. Paul, Minnesota
1965-66: School Inspector in English in New Zealand. 20 biographies
were
published in the The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, Volumes 1-3.
1966-67: Assistant Professor of English at Trinity University, San
Antonio, Texas.
1967-68: Associate Professor of English at Western State College,
Gunnison, Colorado.
1968-December 16,1979: Professor of English at University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
1980-85: Retired in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
1985-1998: Retired in Chino Valley, Arizona.
February 10, 1998: Passed away peacefully at Mountain View Manor in
Prescott, Arizona, and was cremated the following day. The cause of
death was respiratory failure due to recurrent pneumonia.
He was married four times and has left behind the following children and grandchildren:
1. Marriage with Ada ? now living in Scotland:
Their children: Aida Deirdre (lst married name: Evans; 2nd married name: Jenkins)
Aida's children:
Nicola Jean Evans
David James Evans
David's children: Llewellyn James Evans; Rhys James Evans.
Hazel Joanne Jenkins
Kerinne Joy Jenkins
2. Marriage with Evelyn Constance Pugh (1920-) now living in Northcote, New Zealand:
Robert John Alexander (1946-) now living in Cave Creek, Arizona.
Diana Lyn Alexander (1947-1964) Cremated in St. Paul, Minnesota.
David Ritchie Alexander (1949-) Now living in Buderim, Australia.
Children with Marion Atkinson:
Benjamin Atkinson Alexander; Patricia Claire Alexander.
3. Marriage with Mary ???
No children
4. Marriage with Mary Tauchen, recently remarried and living in Prescott Valley, Arizona:
Deby Ann Alexander
Donald Ritchie Alexander
Last Modified: April 30, 2003