Johnny Eugene Alexander

Johnny Eugene (Gene) Alexander passed away at his home in Crosby, Texas, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at age 90.

          Gene was born April 6, 1933, in Duke, Oklahoma, to John G. Alexander and Dollie Rawlins Alexander. He was the youngest of four siblings. Gene met Betty Ruth Atkinson at a Sunday School party in Duke, Oklahoma. They married on October 24, 1952, in Altus, Oklahoma.  Betty and Gene enjoyed 71 years of marriage and celebrated the birth of four children:  Toni Rooks and husband Tommy,  Gena Rabel and husband Glen, Kayla Blalock, Leslie Alexander and wife Jennie.

          The family includes eight grandchildren:  Michelle Kollmann and husband Tracy, Michael Rooks, Jason Rabel and wife Meghan, Caleb Rabel and wife Tana, Heather Alexander and partner Kenny, Aaron Alexander and wife Jenny, Kelsi Lewellyn and husband Bo, and Kendall Blalock and partner Nick. 

          Betty and Gene have eleven great grandchildren:  Alicia Uecker and husband Grant, Ashley Burton and husband BJ, Allison Kollmann and partner Logan, Dylan Rooks and partner Aylin, Ryan Rooks, Lauryn Rooks, Jillian Rooks, Westyn Rooks, Conrad Rooks, Cullen Rooks, and Adalynn Lewellyn.

          They also have three great-great grandchildren:  Brycen Burton, Cooper Burton, and Connor Uecker. 

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, and son-in-law, Russell Blalock.

          Before moving to Texas in 1967, Gene was a farmer and custom wheat harvester. He made many trips north to Kansas and Nebraska for harvest. When Gene and Betty decided to leave Oklahoma, they moved to Houston; a turning point in their lives and independence that he always referred to as, “when I had to go to work for wages.” He went on to finish his career as an industrial mechanic. 

          After retirement, Gene and Betty built their home in Crosby, Texas.  Gene did most of the work himself.  He was a perfectionist; he thought through all tasks before completing them.

          While Gene was a hard worker, he also enjoyed fishing, gardening, traveling, and reading, especially Louis L‘Amour novels. He was an avid history buff. He especially enjoyed visiting Native American ruins in the Southwestern United States. He could talk for hours about his days in Duke. He knew where everyone lived in Jackson County and had a story to tell about all of them. He was proud of his heritage, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. Caring for his family was his greatest priority in life. He knew a great deal about how mechanical devices worked, and he could not bear to see things broken or out of order whether it was plumbing or a household appliance. All his family knew to call him at 1-800-CALL-PAPAW if they needed help. He was a modern-day renaissance man.