Edward Gerald “Ed” Alexander

Edward Gerald Alexander, 82, passed away on April 2, 2026, in Gorinchem, Netherlands.

Ed was born on June 5, 1943, in Sale Creek, Tennessee, to Mark and Roselyn Alexander. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army in May 1965, beginning a distinguished 28-year military career defined by leadership, service, and dedication.

Throughout his time in the Army, Ed completed numerous advanced training programs, including the Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Jungle Expert School in Panama, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the Army War College. He served extensively overseas, spending 20 of his 28 years outside the United States in Germany, the Netherlands, Panama, and Korea, and completed two tours in ground combat in Vietnam.

Ed led with strength and integrity at every level of command, including leading a forward-deployed, nuclear-capable unit along the Iron Curtain in Germany. His final assignments included Chief of Current Operations for Allied Forces Central Europe in Brunssum, Netherlands; Inspector General for U.S. Army Europe in Heidelberg, Germany; and Senior Military Advisor to the Governor of Utah.

His service was recognized with numerous honors and awards, including the Parachutist Badge, Jungle Expert Badge, two Legions of Merit, four Army Commendation Medals, three Meritorious Service Medals, three Air Medals, and five Bronze Star Medals.

After retiring from the Army, Ed continued his work for 22 years as a Vice President with a global business development consulting firm. In this role, he supported major defense contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Microsoft, AT&T, and IBM, helping to advance capabilities for the United States military. In all, he dedicated more than 50 years of his life to the defense of the nation he loved.

Above all, Ed was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather (Opa). He is survived by his beloved wife, Diane; his children, LTC (Ret) Mark Alexander (Beverly), COL (Ret) Jennifer Alexander (Tom Fritz), Rex Alexander (Heather), Jessica Dirksen, Veronica Haacke (Cody), and Kayla Johnson (Adrian); nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother.

Ed will be remembered not only for his leadership and service, but for his steady presence, his strong work ethic, and the deep love he had for his family. We are incredibly grateful for the time we had with him and the example he set for all of us.