Howard Dohn Alexander

Howard "Dohn" Alexander, 71, died at 2:35 AM on Wednesday, July 4, 2012, in his home, with his devoted family at his side.

Born to Robert Howard and Genevieve Marie Mouton Alexander, Dohn Alexander was a lifelong resident of Lake Charles. He attended Landry High School, graduated from LaGrange High School in 1959 and served his country in the U.S. Army. Dohn then received his BS degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1966, and went on to receive his Master's Degree in Social Work from Tulane University and later became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Dohn worked as the Mental Health Center manager for Southwest Louisiana for many years. He also served as the CEO for the Louisiana Office of Public Health Region 5 for the State of Louisiana from 1992-2002. Dohn and his wonderful staff were part of a group who was instrumental in getting new health units built in each of Southwest Louisiana's five parishes, implementing school-based Health Services and initiating many other improvements. He retired from Public Health in 2002.

As a young man, Dohn worked as a ranch hand, herding cattle and riding broncos and bulls. He later moved three homes and restored them to their original conditions with his wife. He also contracted two homes, including the home of his dreams. He was an expert carpenter, using his talent to help others and passing on his love of carpentry to his son, Matthew. He loved to travel by RV with his wife, Patsy, and their friends and children and grandchildren, taking many unforgettable trips. Dohn restored his 23 ft. sailboat and sailed with family and friends. A generous man, Dohn donated his sailboat to the Boy Scouts when he could no longer sail due to illness. He like to watch Reed, his grandson, play drums with the Barbe High School Band, and his grandson, Marshall, play baseball at Barbe. His third grandson, Nick, plays the piano beautifully, and it was one of Dohn's joys to hear him play. Some of his best times were spent playing hide-and-seek with his two youngest grandchildren, Jacob and Julia.

Dohn was an encourager, supporting his wife, Patsy, and children, Matt and Allison, in getting their college degrees. He was a lover of the outdoors and could be found hunting, fishing, or shrimping and crabbing often and then was the happiest when he could cook what he had gotten for friends and family. A humble man, Dohn had great integrity and wisdom and was a great reader of people. He absolutely loved music and dancing and never sat one out when he could be on the dance floor.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 47 years, Patricia Pepiton Alexander; son, Matthew Alexander and partner, Lisa Hawsey; daughter, Allison Glover and husband Keenan, all of Lake Charles; five grandchildren, Reed and Marshall Alexander, Nicholas and Jacob Burge, and Julia Glover; brother, Robert Dale Alexander and wife Karen, also of Lake Charles; and sister, Babette Bartholomew of Baton Rouge.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, July 6, 2012, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Lake Charles under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Monsignors Jace Eskind and Charles Dubois will officiate. Interment will be at Sallier Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM, with a scripture service and rosary at 6:00 PM. Visitation will continue on Friday from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM at the funeral home.

The family would like to express their grateful appreciation for the compassionate care given their beloved Dohn to Christus St. Patrick Hospice and the Guardian House.

Memorial donations may be made to The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 935 Bilbo Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601 or to St. Theodore Catholic Church, 785 Sam Houston Jones Parkway, Lake Charles, LA 70611.