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Minister, business owner and health care professional Glenn Alexander is remembered as a servant of mankind and true apostle of God.

Alexander, 77, died after a brief illness Wednesday.

From work in the health care field to the trips to Haiti to provide medical services, to his work as a minister and theology instructor, Alexander touched many lives.

Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bartie and Alexander were friends for more than 45 years. Alexander served as his campaign manager through Bartie’s entire political career, according to the mayor.

“He had a love for humanity and definitely a love for Port Arthur and for the children of Southeast Texas,” Bartie said, noting Alexander was a pediatric nurse practitioner who worked with children across the area.

“He was my friend. This is a great personal loss for me and also a great communal loss for our community.”
Alexander, he added, wore many hats in the community.

Judith Smith, director of the city’s health department, knew Alexander for many years.

“This man was my pastor. He was my supervisor and friend and he’s one of the greatest leaders we have had,” Smith said. “He lived the life he taught about.”

Smith said Alexander received calls for consultations regarding medical issues long after he retired.

Alexander

A Port Arthur native, Alexander graduated from Lincoln High School in 1963. He attended Prairie View A&M as a biology major with a minor in health. Two weeks after graduation, while the draft was ongoing and the war in Vietnam was close to an end, he enlisted in the Air Force.

Alexander told Port Arthur Newsmedia in February he was in the right place at the right time when he met a general early on.

He ended up being sent to officer candidate school on a 90-day challenge. This meant he had 90 days to do what takes others four to five years to attain.

He earned two bars, became second lieutenant and worked as a social psychologist for the Air Force.

He came back to Port Arthur and worked at Gulf Oil refinery before going back to Prairie View and enrolling in the nursing program.

He later found work at what was called Gulf Coast Nursing Home, where he stayed for a year. He went on to become the nursing director for the Port Arthur Health Department. He was able to take advantage of a scholarship to Texas Woman’s University, where he obtained certification to become a nurse practitioner.

His opened Children’s Health Center in 1992, providing low cost sports exams and caring for the children of the area.

Alexander and wife Yoshi are ministers and teachers at Ruasch Ministries International in Port Arthur.

Glenn and Yoshi Alexander have four children: Yoshara, Glenn Alexander II, Yoshell, and Yoshandae.

Services for Alexander are pending with Hannah Funeral Home.