David Rudder Alexander 1865-1955

ALEXANDER, SOPER, KARR, RUDDER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 1/16/2011 at 00:08:22

Veteran Attorney Dies Here
D. R. Alexander, 89, prominent retired Emmet county lawyer died unexpectedly at 2:30 yesterday afternoon at his home at 827 North Seventh street. The death was attributed to a heart attack.

Born on August 31, 1865, at Blandensville, Ill., Mr. Alexander became a member of the Emmet County Bar Association in 1894, and established an abstract office here in 1899. A charter member of the B.P.O.E., a memorial fund has been established in his honor to be dedicated to the Elk’s Crippled Children’s Home. He is survived by his widow.

On May 29, 1946, Emmet county Bar Association honored D. R. Alexander and the late Judge N. J. Lee as “two good American citizens ready to lend a helping hand to one in distress, always gentlemen and who have carried on the best traditions of the Bar.” Each man was presented with a framed lithograph certificate commemorating 50 years of “faithful and distinguished service.”

It was the first opportunity the Emmet County Bar ever had to honor a 50-year member.

Mr. Alexander was a strong advocate of a new courthouse building, and in his speech following the half-century honor presentation in 1946, said a new courthouse had been needed as long as he could remember. “But don’t cut up the square and destroy those trees,” Mr. Alexander exhorted, “the square isn’t a bit larger than necessary just as it is.”

In conclusion, Mr. Alexander said at the presentation, “as a man approaches the end of the trail I think he more greatly appreciates friendship of the fellows of his profession. If we enjoy the confidence of our fellow laborers our reward is sufficient.”

Funeral services for Mr. Alexander will be held at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon at Sternborg Funeral Home, the Rev. Thomas G. Melton officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home after 5 p.m. today. Burial will be in an Emmetsburg cemetery.

David Rudder Alexander, youngest son of David and Amanda Rudder Alexander, was born Aug. 31, 1865 and spent his children in his parents’ home in Illinois. In 1892 he graduated from Cornell college at Mount Vernon and from the State University of Iowa Law School in 1894. In that same year he married Margaret Ruby Soper of Emmetsburg.

Mr. Alexander was associated with Capt. E. B. Soper’s law firm in Emmetsburg for several years. In 1899 he joined the law firm of Soper and Allen in Estherville. At Mr. Allen’s death the firm became Soper and Alexander, which name Mr. Alexander continued to use until his retirement three years ago.

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander established their home in Estherville in the same house which has been his home continuously for 56 years. His wife Ruby died in 1934.

In 1943 he married Mrs. Mayme Karr of Estherville. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, May 27, 1955)