Lawrence James Alexander

Lawrence James Alexander, most affectionately known to the Jacksonville community as Larry, passed away on his birthday, April 27, 2022 surrounded by his wife Pat and other loving family members.

He was born on April 27, 1948 in Jacksonville, to the late Vanderbilt and Helen Alexander and was proud to claim the Magnolia Gardens community as the place where he was raised. He attended local schools, graduating from New Stanton High School in the class of 1966. He furthered his education at Florida A&M University where he was a proud member of the Marching 100 and the FAMU Concert Band, graduating in 1971 with a B. S. Degree in Sociology.  It was at FAMU that he met his sweetheart, Patricia Carson. She left a note on his car that she thought he was handsome, and the rest is history. Larry loved telling that story! In 1973, they were married, and raised a beautiful family.   

After college, Larry returned to Jacksonville to begin a stellar career with the City of Jacksonville as Project Director and later Director of the Walnut House Ex Offender Program. His career advanced in local government when in 1980, Mayor Jake Godbold appointed Larry as one of the first Blacks in Jacksonville’s history to receive a city appointment. He was appointed Chief of Advertising and Promotions in the Department of Recreation and Public Affairs. Larry excelled in that position and received letters of commendation from the mayor for excellent performance. In 1987, Mayor Godbold appointed Larry to the position of Deputy Director of the Recreation and Public Affairs Department. He resigned from the City of Jacksonville in 1997 after twenty-six years of service to the city that he loved.

He was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Theta Phi Chapter.  He was also a member of the Community Golf Association (CGA) for the past 18 years.

Larry was a sports fanatic. Wherever there was a ball was his happy place. He enjoyed being a spectator, but he was most interested in being an active participant. Larry began playing tennis at FAMU and played competitively in Jacksonville. He competed in many City tennis tournaments.  All who knew him will remember him as a fierce competitor.  When visiting with his father-in-law, Louis Carson in Clearwater he loved to show off his skills on the pool table to the country folk.  His father-in-law loved to brag about his skills. Later, golf became his game. He played to win!!  And when he didn’t…just ask his wife or his friend Willard Payne, when after losing a round of golf, he attacked the dashboard of Willards’ Trailblazer. 

He loved relaxing to old school and classical music in the evenings on his back porch while watching the sunset…..and oh how he looked forward to sunsets!

Larry enjoyed his retirement years, developing and maintaining his more than 100-acre farm in North Florida. That was his quiet place.  He was proud to have developed a sizeable pond on the property and stocked it with fish. He also became involved in the purchase, rehabilitation and sale of single and multifamily properties. As the years passed, he became a grandfather and that became his passion.

He was a very serious man who cared deeply about people and in his own quiet and unceremonious way sought to help people in need. He mentored young people wherever he met them; helping them find and keep jobs, encouraging them, showing them how to manage money. That was who he was.

We will all miss his strength, his positivity, his unassuming manner, his quiet leadership and his sense of humor. 

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Vanderbilt and Helen Alexander; sisters, Linda Sapp and Janie Bender. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Patricia Carson Alexander; son, Eric Alexander ((Kansas); daughter, Ashley Alexander (Troy Edwards); grandsons, Steven Ziegler, Eric Alexander Jr., and Dashton Edwards; granddaughters, Bella Alexander and Kinsley Alexander; brother, Dwight Alexander; sisters, Carolyn Barney and Karen Simmons;  nieces, Franquel Sapp-Smith, Shellee Sapp, Helene Rogers, Gretchen Rogers, Misti Griffin, Kim Clark, Michelle Alexander, and Natalie Hall; nephews, Jeff Rogers, Phillip Baggs, Azzon Simmons, and Alexander Simmons; his very special cousin and friend, David Barnhart; and a host of loving cousins and extended family.

Sarah L. Carter's Funeral Home Northside is serving the Family.

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