Dr. Robert S. Alexander

Dr. Robert S. Alexander, 91

Troy - Dr. Robert S. Alexander, 91, Professor Emeritus of Albany Medical College, formerly of Delmar and more recently a resident of Beechwood in Troy, died of cancer on November 11, 2008. Following a childhood in Melrose, MA, he graduated from Montclair N.J. High School in 1934 and attended Amherst College where he earned AB and MA degrees. Upon receiving a PhD from Princeton University in 1942, he accepted an appointment as Instructor in Physiology at Cornell Medical College in NYC.

Subsequent academic appointments took him to the School of Medicine of Western Reserve in Cleveland and to the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta before coming to Albany Medical College in 1955 as Professor of Physiology and Chairman of the Department. He also served as consultant to numerous hospitals and the Office of Naval Research. He served R.P.I. in the original development of their Biomedical and Bioengineering Programs. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Alexander performed extensive research dealing chiefly with the control of the heart and blood vessels and also published a textbook on Clinical Physiology.

In retirement, as Church Historian of First Church in Albany, he became fascinated with the neglected archives of his church which the Dutch founded in 1642. He translated eight volumes of the early financial records and published a comprehensive history of the church and the Dutch settlement in Albany.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Eleanor Paddock Alexander, with whom he had five children: Joan Fordham of Baraboo, WI; Holly Adams of Rehoboth Beach, DE; Lindy Perez of Pacific Grove, CA; Beverly Pill (deceased), and Bruce Alexander of Winchester, MA. He also leaves nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 13^th at 2PM at the First Church in Albany 110 North Pearl Street Albany.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the First Church in Albany, 110 N. Pearl St., Albany, NY 12207 and The Community Hospice of Rensselaer County, 295 Valley View Blvd., Rensselaer, NY 12144.

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