Peter M. Alexander

On May 19, 2026, Peter M. Alexander was last spotted high in the sky, surrounded by angels, heading north toward the fabulous fishing grounds, golf courses, and workshops of the promised land.

Born in 1922, he was one of four children and the only son of Peter A. and Johanna Alexander of Three Lakes Michigamme, Michigan.

Upon graduation from Michigamme High School in 1939, Peter was awarded a Michigan Alumni Association scholarship to the University of Michigan where he was a member of Alpha Chi Sigma fraternity and received his degree in Metallurgical Engineering in 1943.  He immediately applied for service in the US Navy, and after a brief stint as metallurgist for ALCOA, in 1944 he received a commission as Ensign, and was assigned to Naval Indoctrination School at Princeton University, and then to Amphibious Training School in Solomons, Maryland.

Following training in 1944, he was ordered to overseas duty as Executive Officer and subsequently Commanding Officer of LCI 1084.  He served more than two years in the South Pacific, Philippines, and China Seas theaters of combat and was preparing for an impending invasion of Japan when the dropping of A-Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki brought a merciful end to the war.

Following discharge from the Navy, he enrolled at Michigan Technological University in Houghton Michigan where he received a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering.  While in school he was active in a student chapter of the AIChE. And was elected to Phi Lambda Upsilon honorary society.

Peter then joined DuPont in 1948 as supervisor in the TFE pilot plant in Arlington, New Jersey and was transferred shortly thereafter to Parkersburg, West Virginia for the start-up and operation of the first commercial Teflon Plant.  It was here that he met Maxine, his future bride of 75 years.  They were married in 1950, and soon transferred to Charleston, West Virginia where their first child, Lydia, was born.  After two years in Charleston he was transferred to the Plastics Department offices in Wilmington, Delaware.  While in Wilmington, daughter Margaret was born.  He was then transferred to Orange, Texas where Elizabeth was born.  After five years, during which he worked in a variety of supervisory assignments, he was transferred to Wilmington, Delaware as Production Manager for the newly formed Polyolefins Division.  A son, Peter Jr. was born shortly thereafter and daughter Nancy was born a year later.  Peter was then appointed National Sales Manager for Polyolephins, a position he held until he accepted a transfer to the Employee Relations Department as Manager of Industrial Relations.

Subsequently he was transferred to the Organic Chemicals Department as Director of Manufacturing. Later on Peter’s managerial assignments included Director of the Freon Products Division, Director of Intermediates, and Director of Operations in the Petrochemicals Department until his retirement in 1985.

While working in Wilmington, Delaware, Peter was active in community activities, serving on the personnel committee of the United Way, as a member of the Board of Directors of the Delaware Curative Workshop, and a member of the Delaware Health Planning Council.

Peter’s interests and hobbies were varied and included woodworking, fixing things, gardening, golf, tennis, fishing, pitching horseshoes, music, crossword puzzles, and playing cards.  Above all he enjoyed doing things with and for his extended family, especially at his camp in Three Lakes Michigan.

He is survived by his wife Maxine, daughters Margaret Hall of Elkton MD, Elizabeth Schowe of Chadds Ford PA, and Nancy Nance of Nags Head, NC, grandchildren Ryan VanSluyters, Katie Hall, Jennifer Harbison, Mara Schowe, Randy Nance, Maddie Nance, and great-grandchildren Sydney, Rhea, B.D. and Charlie.

He was preceded in death by his sisters, Elizabeth (Racine), Catherine (Lincoln) and Henrietta (Leigh), his oldest daughter Lydia (Van Sluyters) and by his son Peter Jr.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude’s in Peter’s memory. Online Donations – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital