Steve E. Alexander Sr. fed the masses and housed the aging — after he marshaled forces within Atlanta's Greek community.

He would take 30 friends fishing in Florida to catch 500 pounds of fresh fish for the Palm Sunday lunch at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation.

Family photo (ENLARGE)

Steve E. Alexander Sr., was among the founders of the Greek Festival and helped arrange financing and pledges for the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation.

He saw a need for affordable retirement housing and became the driving force to build the 125-apartment Hellenic Tower.

Mr. Alexander was a founder of the popular Atlanta Greek Festival to promote Hellenic pride and raise money, said his contemporary, restaurateur Louis Zakas of Atlanta. Response to the first festival in 1974 caught its organizers off guard.

"We had a colossal opening," Mr. Zakas said. "I had to get on the phone and call my suppliers for more food. If we ran out of food, you know it exceeded our expectations in raising money."

Mr. Alexander arranged construction loans for the cathedral, advised the church on buying surrounding property for expansion, was a leader in the Orthodox church at the highest level and had served on what is now for the National Conference for Community and Justice.

He couldn't say no to any project, including learning the banjo to perform with a Yaraab Temple Shriners' band.

"People will be missing Steve many years to come in our community," said Pano Karatassos of Atlanta.

The funeral for Mr. Alexander, 80, who died of cardiac arrest at his Atlanta residence on Friday, is 11 a.m. Monday at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation. A.S. Turner & Sons is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Alexander's insurance company became the headquarters for his many church projects, which became like a second business within itself, said his daughter Terri Smith of Stone Mountain.

"He was wonderful at getting people motivated to raise funds and work for the good of a cause," she said.

It was Mr. Alexander who negotiated the bank loan to build the cathedral on Clairmont Road. He individually asked church members to pledge to the building fund, then took their pledge to the bank for the money. The bank sent the church member the monthly payment book.

"The big givers didn't build that church. The little givers did," Mr. Zakas said. The cathedral was dedicated in 1970.

Hellenic Tower was a "tremendous achievement" for Mr. Alexander, Mr. Zakas said. Through his contacts at the National Conference, Mr. Alexander was referred to federal agencies that provided grants for construction and rent subsidies for residents.

For 20 years, Mr. Alexander invited 30 clients and church members to join him fishing in Florida. The idea was to catch enough fresh fish to provide Palm Sunday lunch at the church to break the 40-day Lenten fast, said his son, Steve Alexander Jr. of Atlanta.

Mr. Karatassos owns the Buckhead Life restaurant group, supplies fresh fish through his Atlanta Fish Market and would tease Mr. Alexander about the trip.

"'Steve,' he would say, 'you're paying probably $100 a pound for the fish you catch down there. I can get it for you a lot cheaper,' " his son said. "If they didn't catch enough fish, my dad would call Pano for the difference. The conversation always ended with, 'And, by the way, don't tell anybody, either.' "

"Steve was a very conscientious person," Mr. Zakas said. "If he put his finger to it, he would finish it all the way."

Survivors include his wife, Lula Pryles Alexander; another daughter, Marianne Beverly of Smyrna; and six grandchildren.