Colleen Alexander, 89, formerly of Wyndmoor, a leader of the Democratic Party in Montgomery County for many years, died Jan 9 of congestive heart failure at Cathedral Village in Andorra.
Mrs. Alexander served two terms as chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee from 1975 to 1982 and then again from 1989 to 1994. She also served for two terms as vice-chairperson and as secretary of the committee.
She was the Democratic Jury Commissioner of Montgomery County from 1994 to 2005.
A lifelong advocate for women's involvement in politics, Mrs. Alexander told the Chestnut Hill Local in 1968 that she would like to see women engaged in “all aspects of politics.”
“We're naturals,” she said. “ From our homes we have more contact with the community than men. Usually, we have more knowledge of what is taking place in our immediate area. I think we ought to put this to work.”
At the time of her interview with the Local, Mrs. Alexander was co-chairperson of the MCDC's registration committee and went door-to-door signing up voters – both Democratic and Republican – and focusing on younger men and women and black voters
“People who are not participating,” she told the Local, “are dealing themselves out of our society. I suppose that's why I'm involved in this registration effort. I want people to deal themselves in.”
She also served as a state committeewoman from the 17th Senatorial District, and president of the Democratic Women of Legislative District 154, which then included Cheltenham, Jenkintown and Springfield Township. She received many citations from the state and the Democratic Party.
Born in Philadelphia, Mrs. Alexander was a graduate of Overbrook High School and attended the University of Wisconsin for three years.
From 1964 to 1990 she was president of Approved Products, a family-owned cosmetic and health care products business in Oaks.
She was a former board member of the Philadelphia Civic Ballet and the Girls Clubs of America, and was active in Women for Greater Philadelphia for 40 years. She was honored in 2006 by the Fairmount Park Commission for three decades of devoted service to Laurel Hill Mansion.
She is survived by daughters Miriam Karacek, Barbara Alexander and Elizabeth Brown; a son, David Alexander; s brother, Wayne Speilman; and five grandchildren.
A celebration of Mrs. Alexander's life will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan 31, at Cathedral Village, 600 E. Cathedral Road, in the Andorra section of Philadelphia. Memorial donations may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave. Montgomery, AL 36104, or to Women for Greater Philadelphia, 510 Walnut Street, 16th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106. – WF
