Alexander, Robert Wayne
ALEXANDER, Dr. Robert Wayne
Dr. Robert Wayne Alexander, born on March 19, 1941, in Memphis, TN, to the late Henry Reid and Dorothy Provine Alexander, passed peacefully on January 6, 2023, surrounded by family after a long battle with neurodegenerative disease.
Wayne fiercely loved his family and extended work family and will be fondly remembered as an eternal optimist with an unbridled natural curiosity. He didn't believe in the word "bored," a value impressed upon his children. How could you be bored when life is so interesting?
Wayne's passion for knowledge laid the foundation for a 40+ year career in academic medicine. Following his undergraduate degree at Ole Miss, Wayne completed his medical and scientific research training at Emory University, Duke University, the University of Washington, and the National Institutes of Health. Wayne went on to serve as the Director of the Division of Cardiology and subsequent long-term chair of the Department of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Through his lifelong commitment to teaching, Wayne trained many future leaders in the field and had an enduring impact on the study of cardiology. Wayne also held a deep passion for cardiovascular research, through which lifelong friends developed.
In addition to his illustrious medical career, Wayne pursued many other passions. He was a patron of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum of Art, and NPR. Also an avid reader, Wayne read the New York Times every day of his adult life, no matter where his travels took him. He found something interesting in everything and read every plaque he passed. Wayne was also an avid Francophile, from the music to the food, and a student of history who loved his maroon 1968 Mustang. When time allowed, he also enjoyed gardening, especially tomatoes in the warm summer months, and his annual quail hunting trips with David in South Georgia.
Generous to the core, Wayne was always grateful for the opportunities he was given and always looked to pay things forward. He was known for his generosity towards the people and places close to his heart.
Above all, Wayne loved his family. He is survived by his three children, Kate Harmer, Melissa Alexander, and David Alexander; their spouses, Jon Harmer, Ashwin Pamudurthy, and Liz Alexander; his grandchildren, Xander Coles, Liadan, Rowan, Veda, Reya, Wesley, and Mimi; and by the mother of his children and former wife of 45 years, Janie Woods Alexander. Wayne is also survived by sister-in-law, Kristina Carlson; niece, Elisabeth Alexander; nephew, Captain Alexander; and Elisabeth's son, Tanner. Wayne was preceded in death by his younger brother, George Douglass "Doug" Alexander.
Never forgetting where he came from and the people who supported him along the way, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to The Dr. Wayne Alexander Graduate Student Stipend Fund at: The University of Mississippi Foundation, Attn: Nikki Neely Davis, 406 University Avenue, Oxford, MS. 38655.
A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 AM, on Thursday, January 19, 2023, at The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305.
