[AGL] ed alexander obit - 4th and last try

[Michael Eisenstadt]

Edward Fales Alexander Edward Alexander was an extraordinary person and a
special friend to all who knew him. His sudden, tragic passing on October
17, 2009, in an accident on the Medina River, has left a large void in our
lives but we can continue to enjoy the rich tapestry he wove during his much
too short but brilliantly traveled journey. Ed never met a stranger.
Together, he and his beloved wife Brigit joyfully welcomed all comers to
their enchanted homes in Real de Catorce, Mexico, and Austin, Texas. Ed had
more friends than there are stars in the Texas sky and all who were blessed
to have known him are better, happier people for the experience. Ed was born
in Amarillo, Texas on November 25, 1942. He loved his Texas roots, a
favorite topic for his endless tales. He graduated from Vanderbilt
University and received a graduate degree in physics from the University of
Texas at Austin in 1968. Ed was always in the middle of the fun, both the
kindest and most cantankerous of the bunch, at once a shining light on your
shoulder and a practical man of the earth. A traveler at heart, he trotted
the globe the way some people walk around the block. Of his adventures,
perhaps Ed loved those involving caves most of all. Having joined the NSS
earlier he fell in with a circle of Austin cavers in 1964 and those
adventurers remained friends to the end; they were with him at the Texas
Cavers Reunion in Paradise Canyon the night he died. Ed and Brigit met in
Real de Catorce, Mexico, and they were married in 1992. Before moving back
to Austin in 2008, Ed and his family lived for twelve years in Catorce. Ed
continued to explore, traveling and camping around Mexico and hiking the
Catorce Range with family and friends and his dog, Cleo. He would load up
his red Izuzu Trooper with Brigit and son Luc and put his daughter Mimi on
top with Cleo running behind as they climbed up the rugged mountain roads to
scenic, wonderful places. If Luc found a snake in the road, Ed would pick it
up and preserve it in the freezer for later dissection with the kids.
Learning was an everyday adventure at the Alexander home. Ed's children,
Thomas, Mimi and Luc--kind, compassionate, and curiosity-filled--are a
testament to the care and love Ed gave them. From his youngest days Thomas
was always included with the many adventures of Ed whether camping in the
Sierra Madre, cooking at the TCR events or running the rivers of Central
Texas. Ed traveled the road from Austin to Catorce and back with Thomas many
times. If night fell and they were tired, they would pull off the road, put
down their sleeping bags and sleep under the stars. The stories about Ed
would fill a book; the stories that he told would fill another. His life
revolved around all kinds of human communities in Austin and Mexico: cavers,
musicians, river runners, movie makers, artists, craftspeople,
archeologists, and computer programmers. Ed was preceded in death by his
parents, Kleim and Myrtle Alexander, and his brother Charles. He is survived
by his wife, Brigit; daughter, Mimi; and sons, Thomas and Luc; nephew, Chuck
and niece Susanne. Vaya con dios, Eduardo. We miss you so much. A
celebration of Ed's life with family and friends is being planned. Friends
are encouraged to bring a picture, a written memory or a memento to be
included in a book for his family to keep.