PAT ALEXANDER (1947-2025)

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V28 2025 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 31, 2025, Article 7

Earlier this week Secretary-Treasurer John Janeczek passed word that "The New York Numismatic Club is saddened to announce the death of our member Pat Alexander on Monday, July 28, 2025, after a month-long illness. Pat is survived by her husband of 47 years, Past President David Alexander."

E-Sylum Feature Writer and American Numismatic Biographies author Pete Smith submitted this article. Thank you. NOTE: DTA = David Thomason Alexander. Thanks to Len Augsburger, I added a photo from her online obituary, linked below. She died on July 27, 2025. -Editor

She was born as Patricia Ann LaBranche in Dayton, Ohio, on March 29, 1947. Her parents were Roge Philip LaBranche (1917-1970) and Delight Aileen Durbin LaBranche (1917-1982). Roge was a toolmaker and part owner of Dayton Industrial Supply Co.

Pat graduated from Meadowdale High School in Dayton. She attended Ohio University in Athens and Wright State University in Dayton. She studied Business Administration combined with counseling psychology.

Pat married David Thomason Alexander on December 3, 1977, at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Sidney, Ohio. She was given in marriage by a son from a previous marriage, M. Robert French. Ushers were two guys who worked in the Sidney area, Thomas K. DeLorey and William Tilden Gibbs. Luncheon arrangements were made by Mrs. Marion Russell. She is known in the hobby as Margo.

The newspaper report stated, "Distributed by the couple were 1 1/2 inch aluminum wedding medals, recording date and place on the face of the coin. The reverse bore a quotation from the book of Ruth."

Pat and David were joined by a son in 1980, Christopher Thaddeus Alexander. On September 9, 1986, they were joined by Christina Theresa Alexander.

While David was editor for the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) newsletter, Pat was identified as assistant editor.

I have vague recollections from thirty year ago, that Pat was a legal assistant for a New York law firm.

While Pat may not have been a numismatist, she was strongly woven into the social fabric of the hobby. She joined DTA for meetings of the New York Numismatic Club. She participated with DTA in the NLG Bash. She frequently attended the annual ANA conventions.

For the last few years, Pat got around the ANA conventions in a motorized scooter, Eventually, David joined her and they became a two-scooter family.

I could not find evidence of Pat's first marriage. The best evidence of her children appears on a cent-size Patrick Mint token from about 1977. The obverse legend: "DAVID T. & PATRICIA A. / BOBBY / DOUG / (HOMINIDAE) / ALEXANDER / WENDY & / HEATHER / (CANIDAE) "LA PROVIDENCIA" - SIDNEY, OHIO"

Google told me that Hominidae is a great ape and Canidae is a wolf. I find that to be an unflattering description of their children. I suspect the meaning is that Bobby and Doug were human while Wendy and Heather were dogs.

Pat and David issued a series of 1.5 inch aluminum anniversary medals that also make reference to their children. The first has this legend: "DAVID THOMASON / PATRICIA ANN / WED / HOLY ANGELS / CATHOLIC CHURCH / SIDNEY. OHIO / DEC 1977 / A;EXANDER // OUR ANNIVERSARY"

The second anniversary piece has the same obverse. On the reverse is a large A with legends: "DT / PA / 1977- / 1979 / & MRF" I didn't realize until this Friday that the MRF is for M. Robert French. Doug is not mentioned.

The next one has a lot of text: "27 FEBRUARY 1980 / PATRICIA & DAVID / ALEXANDER / & NEW BROTHER ROBERT / ANNOUNCE THE ARRIVAL / OF / CHRISTOPHER THADDEUS / ALEXANDER / BORN / 7 DECEMBER 1979 // PROVIDENTIA / OBSTETRIX / REVIRESCIT" I think this means that Christopher was adopted.

The fourth medal has a counterstamp on remainders of the second medal. It says, "DTA-PAA / 1977 / 1982 / 1979/ CTA" This would be their fifth anniversary medal with CTA representing Christiopher Thaddeus Alexander, A sixth anniversary piece has a "6" counter stamped on the first anniversary piece.

I am not aware of an anniversary medal that mentions Christina Theresa Alexander. She was mentioned in an issue of the NLG Newsletter for Sept-Oct 1986. She was described like a newly minted coin.

This is an example where biographical information may be found on personal medals that is not available through the normal biographical sources.

Indeed. Numismatic evidence is not only a great supplement to archival and printed references, it is sometimes the only resting place of certain information. Many thanks to Pete for a) collecting this material and b) organizing it and using it for research (and sharing it with all of us)! -Editor

To read Pat's online obituary, see:
Pat Maria Alexander (https://midhudsonnews.com/obituary/pat-maria-alexander/)