By Jerry Vondas

Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
Updated: Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Ed Alexander didn't like to take it easy on his days off work.

When the city of Pittsburgh paramedic wasn't lifting weights as a body builder, he was volunteering his time through his church or at an animal shelter.

“My husband also loved dogs,” his wife, Penelope Alexander, said. “On the days we were both off duty, we'd head to the Humane Society in the North Side where we would walk the abandoned dogs. I opted to walk the gentle dogs, while Ed agreed to walk the dogs that were tough and unruly, which he easily handled.”

Edward Vincent Alexander Jr., of Green Tree, died of cancer on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Family Hospice and Palliative Care in Mt. Lebanon. He was 48.

Mr. Alexander, former treasurer of the Fraternal Association of Professional Paramedics Local No. 1, was born in Brookline and grew up as one of two children of Pittsburgh police Officer Edward Alexander and his wife, Eleanor “Marcy” Kerr-Alexander.

He graduated from Carrick High School in 1982 and became a city paramedic, eventually serving as crew chief at Station 7 in Greenfield.

Mr. Alexander met his wife, a nurse at West Penn Hospital, in 2004.

“I was introduced to Ed by one of his fellow paramedics who answered a call to bring a patient or someone who was injured to West Penn Hospital,” Penelope Alexander said. “I found Ed to be shy at first, but I soon came to admire his qualifications of being an old-fashioned gentleman who had respect for women.”

The couple were active members of St. Philips Church in Moon, where they volunteered with several causes.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Alexander is survived by a sister, Colleen Alexander; father-in-law, Robert Scott Sr. of Georgia; brother-in-law, Robert Scott Jr. and his wife, Stacey; and numerous nieces and nephews,

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in William Slater II Funeral Service, 1650 Greentree Road in Scott.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Philips Church, 1629 Beaver Grade Road, Moon.

Donations may be made in memory of Edward Alexander to the Cocker Spaniel Adoption Center, P.O. Box 1704, Westminster, MD 21158-5704.

Jerry Vondas is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7823 or jvondas@tribweb.com.

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