William Brown Alexander V ’41

Bill died Feb. 5, 2009, after a long illness.  

He came to Princeton from the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. At Princeton, Bill majored in chemical engineering and was a member of the Princeton Engineering Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and Elm Club.

After graduation, Bill worked for the Bakelite Division of Union Carbide in Philadelphia. Joining the Navy as an ensign in June 1944, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Mount Hood in the Pacific. The ship was lost, but he narrowly escaped with his life.

Reassigned to Washington, he became officer-in-charge of the plastics division of the Bureau of Ships, which developed plastic hulls. He separated as a lieutenant junior grade in October 1946.  

Princeton awarded him the Tau Beta Pi prize, named for the national engineering honor society, in 1973.

After 20 years at Bakelite, Bill struck out on his own very successfully in real-estate development. In 1972 he returned to Washington to manage the family business and trusts, and was president of a family coal business. He also served on the board of trustees of the National Presbyterian Church and the National Presbyterian School.

Bill is survived by his wife of almost 48 years, Sara Jane Pettingill Smith, and his son, William B. Alexander VI.